VSCPA Educator Resource Center

Are you an educator looking for financial literacy curriculums, tools and resources for your students? Are you looking for a dynamic speaker for your classroom on financial topics? Let Virginia CPAs help! As part of our Financial Fitness campaign, the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA) offers a wealth of resources, including programs to connect volunteer CPAs with your school as a pro bono community service.

The VSCPA offers the following free resources to assist educators and students with financial management issues.

LifeSkills

The VSCPA partnered with James Madison University (JMU) to launch LifeSkills — a seven-week program that trains college juniors and seniors on financial and career skills needed for real life. In addition, the VSCPA and JMU developed an online toolkit to assist other colleges and universities in launching their own LifeSkills program.

Curriculum Kit

The VSCPA offers a comprehensive curriculum kit, the Takin' Care of Business Information Package (iPACK), to educators free of charge. Developed by the CPA profession, the iPACK includes 15 lesson plans, a dynamic 15-minute video and a presenter's guide. To access your free iPACK, you must first register as an educator on www.startheregoplaces.com and then log-in to access the teacher assistance feature.

Presentations

The VSCPA has developed several presentations that can be used in the classroom to educate students about basic personal finance topics as well as generate awareness about the importance of financial literacy.

Videos

In an effort to increase the financial literacy knowledge of grade, middle and high school students, the CPA profession developed two TV shows, Pennywise and Business Building Blocks, which aired this past summer on PBS YOU.

Websites

The VSCPA and the CPA profession have several Web sites devoted to financial and business education, with resources for educators and students. Visit www.financialfitness.org, www.360financialliteracy.org, www.feedthepig.org, www.vscpa.com and www.startheregoplaces.com.

The Accounting Education Center is an online portal that provides educators with resources to enhance the accounting and business curriculum and to prepare students to become members of the CPA profession.

Articles & Publications

The VSCPA and the CPA profession produce numerous articles and publications to educate students and all audiences about money management topics. Special materials targeting students include:

  • Budget Buzz: Be Smart About Saving (PDF) is a free educational publication that provides basics of financial literacy to 4th grade students and their teachers. Developed by the CPA profession and Weekly Reader.

Speakers Bureau

The VSCPA Speakers Bureau provides Virginia CPAs to speak to various audiences — from school children to retirees — on topics related to money management and basic financial responsibility.

Other Resources

The VSCPA has compiled a list of other educational resources, including links to curriculums and materials, from reputable state and national organizations.