SANTA FE — In preparation for the new graduation guidelines set to take effect in the 2025–2026 school year, the New Mexico Public Education Department is offering financial literacy training for New Mexico teachers.
With the passage of House Bill 171, students are required to take the personal financial literacy standards embedded in the New Mexico Social Studies Standards. The PED, St. John’s College, Nusenda Credit Union, and Jump$tart New Mexico are collaborating on a series of workshops that offer state educators an in-depth understanding of the concepts and skills needed for teaching the PFL standards.
A primary goal of the workshops is to teach educators about key concepts that will allow them to take control of their own financial well-being so they can bring a high level of confidence about financial literacy into their classrooms.
“Studies have shown that teachers are more comfortable and likely to teach content when they have a strong grasp of the subject matter,” Public Education Secretary-Designate Mariana D. Padilla said. “The PFL training provides educators with a solid foundation of content knowledge and the skills needed to adapt it into grade-appropriate material.”
The workshop series began in October and will conclude in early December. Teachers are volunteering their time to attend nine virtual sessions that last 90 minutes each. Two of the workshops offer participants high-engagement lessons, instructional materials and teaching resources for immediate use with their students.
Charlie Bergman, senior advisor of the Office of Personal and Professional Development at St. John’s College, developed the content and is delivering the presentations about finances. Amanda Reyes, director of financial capability at Nusenda Credit Union, and Ann Chavez, president of Jump$tart New Mexico, are collaborating on providing teachers with instructional materials and strategies.
The PED is recording workshop sessions and developing a self-paced online course that will be available in the spring.
