Stock Market Game Boosts Math Scores and Financial Literacy

The SIFMA Foundations's Stock Market Game™ (SMG) gives students the chance to invest a hypothetical $100,000 in an on-line portfolio. They think they're playing a game. You know they're learning economic and financial concepts they'll use for the rest of their lives.

View The SIFMA Press Release
http://www.sifma.org/news/news.aspx?id=12958

See The Detailed Study
See the latest study on the Stock Market Game's affect on Math Scores and Financial Literacy:
http://www.learningpt.org/smg/smg_summary.pdf

IMPROVEMENTS IN MATHEMATICS PERFORMANCE
Students took grade-level-appropriate mathematics tests composed of publicly available items from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as “the Nation’s Report Card.” Students who played The Stock Market Game scored significantly higher on mathematics tests than their peers who did not play the game. Students in Grades 4–6 who played the game scored on average above the 55th percentile, whereas students who did not play the game scored on average above the 43rd percentile. Students in Grades 7–10 scored on average above the 54th percentile, while students who did not play the game scored on average above the 46th percentile.

IMPROVEMENTS IN FINANCIAL LITERACY
Students also took grade-level-appropriate tests to measure financial literacy. Students who played The Stock Market Game scored significantly higher on financial literacy tests than their peers who did not play. Elementary school students playing the game scored on average above the 68th percentile, while nonplaying students scored above the 42nd percentile. Students playing the game in both middle and high school scored on average above the 58th percentile, while their nonplaying peers scored above the 42nd and 40th percentiles respectively.

Texas Teachers Should Participate
The Fall 2009 Stock Market Game begins on September 28 and runs through December 4. Most Texas schools can participate in the Stock Market Game at no charge. In most regions of Texas, SMG fees are picked up by the Texas Council on Economic Education's generous sponsors: Merrill Lynch; Cabrera Capital Markets, LLC.; FirstLight Federal Credit Union; Harlingen Area Teachers' Credit Union; Fidelity Investments; Valley Federal Credit Union and Southwest Securities (Sponsor of InvestWrite).

Click Here for More information or contact Debbie Mackey, Texas Coordinator, at 888-764-8233 or mackeysmg@aol.com.

Carol Hyatt - Newest Member of GATE Advisory Board

Carol Hyatt, AP Economics and Economics teacher of Denton High School was recently appointed to the GATE teacher advisory board representing Texas. GATE is a global membership organization sponsored by the Council for Economic Education exclusively for K-12 teachers and others who are interested in economic, financial and entrepreneurship education.

Ms. Hyatt is an active participant in events sponsored by the Texas Council. She has received many awards and honors throughout her career. Her philosophy for teaching economics is to help young people learn to think, choose, and function in a global economy. Now she will have the opportunity to share her best practices with others through her service on the advisory board.

Please join us in congratulating Ms. Hyatt on her new appointment.

10 WEEK STOCK MARKET GAME BEGINS SEPTEMBER 28

Join the over 32,000 Texas students who participated in the Stock Market Game last year. Top performing teams receive regional awards.Register your students for the online simulation where students apply academic skills as they learn about investing and personal finance. Students think they are playing a game, we know they are learning real life skills.

GETTING STARTED: AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3.

1. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STOCK MARKET GAME
You can learn more about the SMG at www.economicstexas.org. Click on the Stock Market Game link.

2. REGISTER ONLINE AND ACCESS THE TEACHER SUPPORT CENTER
Moments after you register online at www.stockmarketgame.org. You will receive an email containing advisor log in information. You will be able to access the Teacher Support Center. It contains information on getting started, managing student accounts and a large collection of lesson plans, projects, student handouts and more.

3. ATTEND TEACHER TRAINING
You can access a list of onsite and webinar teacher training at www.economicstexas.org. Click on the date that interests you for more information. Registration is required.

I hope you and your students will be able to participate. You'll be glad you did.

Questions:
Debbie Mackey
mackeysmg@aol.com
888-764-8233
Stock Market Game Director
Texas Council for Investor Education

Texas InvestWrite Winner Honored By SIFMA

http://www.sifma.org/news/news.aspx?id=12568

Alan Sostek, a student at Greenhill High School in Addison, Texas, won the national InvestWrite competition, an essay writing contest challenging students to offer investment advice to their parents upon receipt of a hypothetical $100,000 inheritance. He has honored by SIFMA in New York City.

InvestWrite is an essay contest that is part of the Stock Market Game. The Texas sponsor of the InvestWrite competition is Southwest Securities.

For more information about how you can use the Stock Market Game and InvestWrite in your classroom in Texas, please contact Debbie Mackey at 888-764-8233.

GATE Awards Susan Guy of Aldine ISD Teacher of the Year

The Global Association of Teachers of Economics (GATE) has awarded Susan Guy of Aldine ISD the teacher of year award for 2008-2009. Ms. Guy is active in the Texas Council on Economic Education and the Council for Economic Education.