Because of a change enacted into law in 2022, the Personal Finance Credit is now a state requirement beginning with the class of 2028 (this year’s freshmen). The Michigan Department of Education has outlined the course requirements, which includes guidance on what grades and in which programs the ½ credit can be fulfilled. To support this new condition of graduation, the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) has content in several eResources that students and teachers can utilize to help understand various elements of personal finance.

EBSCO LearningExpress

As part of the High School Library PrepSTEP® collection of resources, the High School Success Skills section on Life Skills offers self-guided tutorials on The Basics of Credit, The Basics of Debt, and How to Manage Your Money. Through these lessons, students learn the differences between secured and unsecured credit, elements of loans, financial balance, and financial planning for now and into the future. Each part of these tutorials offers quizzes so students can test their knowledge and understanding as they go.

eBook Collections

If you’re seeking a study guide on personal finance, look no further than Personal Finance: A QuickStudy Digital Reference Guide from the eBook Business Collection. This 6-page guide delivers information on saving, raising your credit score, budgeting, selecting insurance coverage, tackling high-interest debt, protecting credit identity, and several other areas of financial importance. From the eBook High School Collection, the titles Managing Money and Making Smart Money Choices highlight developing thrifty habits, checking accounts and paying bills, handling unexpected expenses, and smart places to get and keep money.

Read It!

For the most basic information available on personal finance, access the Life Skills then Money section of Read It! This resource will help students understand 401K and profit sharing plans, credit reports, recognizing deceptive advertising, taxes, financial aid, and even exchanging currency. For most articles, comprehension quizzes are also available.

While there is no specific book assigned to use in teaching students personal finance, the information available in MeL is a great way to support the Personal Finance Content Expectations outlined in Appendix A of MDE’s course requirements.

If you have any MeL eResources questions or issues, contact [email protected] for help.