Our Story

Located in the Center for the Philosophy of Freedom at The University of Arizona, Take Charge Today provides more than 40,000 educators nationwide with free, ready-to-teach classroom materials, teacher training, newsletters, online resources, and other tools that enable them to incorporate lessons related to money management into their 7th through 12th grade classrooms.

SEE US IN ACTION

OUR MISSION

Provide educators with ready-to-teach lesson plans, activities, test banks, and supplementary materials free-of-charge, and the skills and confidence to effectively teach personal finance

FOUNDING IDEA

A university-based financial education outreach program can strengthen and extend the ability of schools and community organizations to improve the personal financial capabilities of young adults

Main Principles 

By Educators...For Educators

  • Over 100 lessons have been designed, tested, and edited by our Educator Teams. All lessons are based on the multiple intelligences model and active learning theories. Lessons are downloadable, free of charge, and are aligned to national standards. Their modular format allows them to be used independently or as part of complete courses.
  • ​Selected educators from across the nation work with Take Charge Today’s staff to develop and evaluate curriculum and conduct peer-led trainings.

Ready-to-teach Lesson Plans

  • All of Take Charge Today’s activity based, ready-to-teach lesson plans have been developed from educators’ insights on best practices. All curriculum materials are tested in multiple classroom environments among our educator teams and continually updated based upon student and educator feedback, revised national public policies, and industry changes.

Professional Development

  • Resources are available to educators who would like to learn more about Take Charge Today classroom materials, implementation methods, activities, handouts, assessment tools and content. These resources provide educators flexibility and confidence to incorporate money management studies into their classrooms.
  • ​Local, regional, and national trainings provide educators with networking opportunities and are led by current classroom educators who model Take Charge Today lesson plan activities.
  • Our TC Today newsletter keeps educators informed on current topics in personal finance and ideas for integration into the classroom.
  • Webinars, content videos and lesson plan demonstrations are available from renowned experts and leading scholars discussing cutting-edge trends on a variety of topics.

Support Staff

  • Take Charge Today has a full-time staff of professionals who are available to answer questions, and provide support to participating school districts, teachers and community outreach partners.