Teachers Take FLITE (Financial Literacy Instructional Techniques for Educators), a program of the Institute for Financial Literacy, provides K-12 teachers with the background knowledge and curriculum ideas they need to give students a foundation for making smart financial decisions throughout their lives. FLITE enrolls teachers in the Certified Educator in Personal Finance® (CEPF®) program, a professional certification and training program developed to improve the knowledge and expertise of financial literacy educators.
Teachers who complete the FLITE program receive a CEPF designation, administered by the Institute for Financial Literacy's Center for Financial Certifications.
Teachers Take FLITE Scholarship Application
Summer Session Timeline:
May 15: Application Deadline
June 1: FLITE scholarships awarded, materials mailed
August 15: Exam deadline.
November 1: Teachers incorporate financial literacy lessons in their fall semester classes and share class experience in a November Institute survey.
Winter Session Timeline:
September 15: Application Deadline
October 1: FLITE scholarships awarded, materials mailed
January 15: Exam deadline.
April 1: Teachers incorporate financial literacy lessons in their spring semester classes and share class experience in an April Institute survey.
Q & A:
Who can apply for a scholarship?
Scholarships are available through grant funding & private donations for teachers working in Maine, New York City & Utah. Any teacher in these areas may apply for a Teachers Take FLITE scholarship. The program was developed to encourage the teachers to incorporate financial literacy education into the classroom at all grade levels. Access the scholarship form here.
What math skills are required? Teachers Take FLITE utilizes basic math skills-addition, subtraction and (at appropriate grade levels) percentages.
Why should I care about financial literacy in my classroom? A good foundation in financial literacy is as important to a person as a foundation in language literacy. Financial choices have a profound effect on people's lives, often enabling or preventing them from realizing their aspirations. The more informed and aware students are of the fundamentals of budgeting, saving and other aspects of financial literacy, the better choices they'll make.
What students and classes are best suited to financial literacy? Skills to manage one's money and financial life are essential to every student. Currently 22 states require some form of financial literacy education be taught in schools. Financial literacy has wide-ranging applications and can be an important part of a variety of curricula, and has been successfully incorporated into many subjects, including social studies, math, business and consumer & family sciences.
What sort of lesson must I include in classes?We leave this up to you. We provide you with the resources to determine how financial literacy would work best with your students. The purpose of our November & April surveys is to learn about how teachers incorporated financial literacy education into the classroom.
What resources are available to help with preparing a curriculum? A list of free and low-cost resources will be made available to all FLITE teachers.
What's covered in the course materials for the CEPF credential? For an outline of the CEPF study materials, click here.
Please note: Part I: Lesson Planning was written for people who are not professional educators. We nonetheless encourage teachers to review the section as there are questions regarding Part I on the exam.
Can I get CEU credits for teacher re-certification? The Institute will assist those who receive scholarships with obtaining Continuing Education Units from their school districts.
What is the Center for Financial Certifications? The Institute's Center for Financial Certifications administers the Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF ) credential. Its mission is to advance the professionalism and effectiveness of education and counseling within the field of financial literacy. The Center accomplishes this mission by providing professional development, training, and certification for those in the financial counseling, education and related fields. For more information on the center, click here.
How do people keep their CEPF certification current? The certification is valid for a two year period. Those wishing to renew their certificate must meet a 20 Continuing Education Unit requirement. Two CEUs must be taken in teaching techniques, and two must be taken in ethics. There are no annual membership fees. For more information on CEPF renewal CEU requirements, click here.
Who can I contact for more information? Please email
FLITE@FinancialLit.org or call 207-221-3612.