HR0447 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0447 LRB096 12896 GRL 26881 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Basic personal financial management, including the principles of saving, spending, credit, investment, taxes, and insurance, is an essential life skill necessary to the well-being of all Illinoisans; and

WHEREAS, Experience has shown that students respond to well-executed life skills programs that have direct practical application to their daily lives; and

WHEREAS, The personal responsibility and well-being of the emerging generation will be essential to the overall health and well-being of Illinois' economic and social condition; and

WHEREAS, In recent years, the Illinois General Assembly has placed special emphasis on the importance and effectiveness of financial education by, among other things, requiring high schools to offer consumer education to students and by the establishment of a state-wide task force focused primarily on financial education for children; and

WHEREAS, Through the resources available to educators and school districts, the Illinois Council on Economic Education has proven a valuable tool in enhancing the economic future of students; and

WHEREAS, Since Fiscal Year 2000, General Revenue Funds have been dedicated to financially support the programming of the Illinois Council on Economic Education; the Illinois State Board Fiscal Year 2010 budget does not include that appropriation; and

WHEREAS, Impacting almost 200,000 students annually, the recurring $250,000 appropriation is a small investment of $1.30 per student that provides a life-long impact; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we request that the Illinois State Board of Education seek federal and private funding resources to further enhance economic education for students in Illinois and continue to fund the Illinois Council on Economic Education; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the federal government to spend stimulus funds promoting educational opportunities to further educate students on economic principles; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Illinois State Superintendent of Education and to each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.