Evaluation of Financial Fitness for Life Program and Future Outlook in the Mississippi Delta‪.‬

This project was made possible by the Council on Economic Education. In 2008-2009, 13 school districts in Mississippi were chosen to participate in a pilot program that is part of the College Access Challenge Grant sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and administered through the Institutions of Higher Learning in Mississippi. The Mississippi Council on Economic Education was asked to offer financial literacy opportunities for teachers and students as one way of achieving the goal of assisting low-income students and families learn about, prepare for, and finance postsecondary education. Approximately 7,000 middle school students in Mississippi's Delta were chosen to receive the middle school Financial Fitness for Life (FFL) materials as well as teacher training and support. This provided a unique opportunity to assess teacher and student financial literacy, teacher training, and other significant factors that affect the attitudes towards college of disadvantaged youth.