I once worked at a public high school where they did have a class that dealt with some basic economics issues. The class used a computer program that had the kids pick various jobs with different incomes, and then had them make other choices to demonstrate that x income can’t necessarily provide for an xyz lifestyle. They had to pick where to live and what to live in, whether to buy a new or used vehicle, or to use public transportation instead, how much to spend on food, eating out, entertainment, savings, etc. This same high school also did a seminar for all juniors where they talked about rent vs. buy in different areas of the state, buying a new car vs. buying used, savings, etc. It wasn’t a lot of information, but it was a start. Some families do a good job of preparing their kids for the real world, and other families just don’t have a clue, so I was impressed that the school was making this information available.
I worked at a bank during college. Having always been pretty anal about money, I was SHOCKED at how many students were regularly bouncing checks!! Later on, I also worked for a non-profit that provided emergency loans/grants to military personnel, and part of our process was educating them about their own budget and teaching them some money-managing skills, as necessary. Some folks were pretty good about taking care of their money, and others still had a ways to go.
