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Illinois Personal Finance Challenge
Spring Registration Open through March 1, 2024
The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office in partnership with the UIC Center for Economic Education presents the Illinois Personal Finance Challenge. The IPFC is a competition that provides students with an exciting and motivating opportunity to build, apply and demonstrate their knowledge in money management. In Illinois, middle school students will be able to participate in state-level competition only, while high school students will be able to qualify for the national level of the challenge. Also for high school only, UIC Center for Economic Education will offer an "Access Zone" in the spring session to schools who qualify by income level (50%+ low-income students as reported on the IL School Report Card).
Middle school and high school teams in Illinois can showcase their expertise in earning income, spending, saving, managing credit, investing, and managing risk through online exams offered during fall and spring testing windows. All teachers will be able to access the scores of their students. The top high school teams identified by the online testing will be invited to compete in a personal finance case study final round, which will determine the Illinois state winner. The case study round will be held virtually on April 17, 2024.
Teams of 3-4 high school students with one teacher can qualify to represent Illinois at the National Personal Finance Challenge by winning the Illinois case study final round. They will advance to the National Finals in Cleveland, Ohio on May 19 and 20, 2024.
How It Works
- High school teachers must register at least one team of 3-4 students. Teachers can have multiple teams. Online teacher registration is open January 8 through March 1, 2024.
- High school students compete in the first round of competition online, with an open testing window from March 5 to April 3, 2024.
- Top teams will compete in the Illinois case study final round virtually on April 17, 2024.
- The winning team from the Illinois finals advances to the National Finals in Cleveland, Ohio on May 19 and 20, 2024. The Finals will be held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. Lodging and food will be covered for the team and a teacher.
Registration is FREE and practice tests and resources are available online for all teams.
To learn more and register, visit the Illinois Personal Finance Challenge website.
Access Zone for Low-Income High Schools
The Access Zone seeks equity by providing additional opportunities and resources for students from low-income schools. Teams qualify for the Access Zone if 50% or more students are identified as low-income. Check the Illinois Report Card for your school – low-income is listed in the students category.
How Access Zone Works
- Teachers from qualified schools (50% or higher low-income students as reported on the Illinois School Report Card) may register for the Access Zone.
- Students must be first-time participants to compete in the Access Zone. Teachers can return to compete in the Access Zone in the future. Students can compete in the regular competition in future years, just not the Access Zone a subsequent time.
- Students and teachers must take a pre and post survey to qualify for the benefits of the Access Zone.
- The winning team from the Access Zone will advance to the National Finals in addition to the overall Illinois winner. The Finals will be held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland in Cleveland, Ohio on May 19 and 20, 2024.
Benefits of Access Zone
- Personalized resources and lessons
- Voya volunteer presentation can be scheduled for your classroom during the school day
- Additional practice opportunities
- Transportation to the National Finals is paid for in addition to lodging and food
Complete the Teacher Registration form, which will be reviewed by program administrators. Program administrators will contact you directly if you qualify for the Access Zone with details on next steps. If you have any questions about the Access Zone, you may contact Helen Roberts at hroberts@uic.edu or Joy Joyce at jljoyce@uic.edu.
The Stock Market Game
This unique game is used by thousands of students nationwide each year. Students participate in teams to research and evaluate stocks, bonds, and mutual funds to make informed, economic decisions. Competitions are held each Fall and Spring. There are also connections to Common Core with the extension program, InvestWrite. For Stock Market Game participants, InvestWrite is a writing competition on investment related topics. It is entirely FREE for a class to participate. In addition, there are many resources online, and a dedicated staffer to help answer all of your questions. Explore below to learn more:
Additional Resources
Explore the links below to find lesson plans, assessments, and more.
Standards
Standards implemented in the 2017-2018 school year included requirements for financial literacy and inquiry skills. Inquiry skills equip students with the skills necessary for college, career, and civic life. You can read the standards at the links below.