Center for Economic Education

Student Resources

Empowering K-12 Educators to Build Financially Literate and Healthy Communities

Financial literacy is the cornerstone of a stable, successful life, serving as a powerful tool to help future generations break cycles of poverty. Beyond individual financial stability, economic education serves as a vital anchor for overall community health. Financial security directly correlates with reduced chronic stress, improved mental well-being, better healthcare access, and enhanced long-term stability for families. Teaching young people how to navigate personal finance, grasp fundamental economic concepts, and make informed spending and saving decisions is more critical than ever to cultivating a thriving society. Achieving this starts with an essential first step: equipping our educators with the tools they need to teach it effectively.

Established in 1983, the Stephen F. Austin State University Center for Economic Education provides professional development and standards-based curriculum materials to Texas teachers, with a dedicated focus on Deep East Texas. As one of only three specialized centers of its kind in the state, we aim to bridge the gap between classrooms and real-world economics.

The Center cultivates collaborative partnerships across the educational ecosystem, working alongside classroom teachers, regional Education Service Centers, or ESCs, curriculum coordinators, administrators and the community at large. Through these networks, our expert presenters help educators confidently navigate lesson plans and access impactful classroom resources. To maximize regional impact, the Center partners directly with regional ISDs, statewide ESCs, and both national and community organizations to co-create and collaborate on specialized financial literacy workshops, professional development courses and tailored educational trainings. If you are interested in partnering contact Dr. Aubrey Jones at aubrey.jones@sfasu.edu.

Want to help with our mission?

The SFA Center for Economic Education helps teachers build competent decision makers, productive employees, creative entrepreneurs, knowledgeable consumers and responsible citizens. Interested in helping? You can become a:

  • Partner - If you’re an entrepreneur, inventor or business owner, share your success stories with classroom teachers or host a tour of your facilities. You could also consider implementing an entrepreneurial club or business day in a classroom or community youth group then reporting on achievements at teacher professional development workshops.
  • Advocate - It takes community and family support to help students become thriving and productive global citizens. Parents and grandparents, counselors and community groups, business owners and service clubs — everyone can help prepare students to participate in a global society.  
  • Presenter - We’re always looking for energetic and committed teachers to share their expertise, strategies and classroom ideas during professional development workshops.

We’d love to tell you more. Please call 936.468.4502 to find out how you can help.

Looking for lessons, activities and resources?

For teachers, students and parents, everything from basic economics to the intricacies of the stock market is at your fingertips.

  • Council for Economic Education - Search for lessons by standard, concept and grade. Find activities such as the Youth Entrepreneur Program, Mini Society, Making a Job and Entre Prep.
  • Econ Ed Link - Includes more than 600 classroom-ready, lessons and materials for K-12 teachers and their students.
  • The Foundation for Teaching Economics - Teachers learn basic economics and develop lesson plans for effectively teaching high school economics; students are introduced to economics and leadership.
  • Jump Start Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy - Financial Smarts for Students:
    • Kidsbank
    • kids.gov
  • U.S. Mint for Kids
  • Federal Reserve - Hosts interactive tools and educational resources about banking, home ownership, mortgage, interest rates, loan and credit.
  • Hands on Banking - Provides basic money skills, tools and information for elementary students, teens, young adults and adults.
  • CNN Business - Valuable information about stocks, economic, banking and employment trends.
  • The Stock Market Game - Information regarding stock research, stock investments, retirement, social security.

Do we serve your school district?

The SFA Center for Economic Education serves schools districts in Texas regions 5 and 6.

The SFA Center for Economic Education supports Texas school districts, focusing closely on Regions 5, 6, 7, and 8. If you are located outside of Texas and need assistance, please reach out we are happy to help guide you to the right resources.