Building off the belief that it is never too early to start learning, State Treasurer John Perdue is leading the development of a groundbreaking new financial education opportunity for West Virginia students called ‘NetWorth’.  Simply put, the program is the first of its kind in the nation, and seeks to seamlessly integrate personal financial literacy education into West Virginia’s core education curriculum.

Beginning in kindergarten, NetWorth will incorporate personal finance lessons in core subject areas such as math, language arts, and social studies, a strategy that avoids additional burdens on educators, and meets student demand for learning real world skills. General concepts such as saving and budgeting will be introduced in the lower grades, with lessons progressing to more complex issues such as financial planning and investing as students matriculate.

NetWorth's ultimate goal is to create a permanent, long-term sustainable curriculum, in conjunction with teacher training and research, to ensure that West Virginia students graduate from high school equipped with the knowledge and skills required to make wise financial decisions for their future.

The NetWorth initiative began with the support of the West Virginia State Treasurer’s Office, the West Virginia Department of Education, and the West Virginia Legislature. The program grew quickly with the involvement of other government agencies, non-profits, and the financial services industry, making NetWorth a true community solution.

Currently, NetWorth is in the process of being piloted in approximately 80 classrooms in 35 counties throughout the state.  It is anticipated that NetWorth will be fully implemented in the WV education system by 2010. For more information on NetWorth, contact the State Treasurer’s Office.