The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has completed a pilot test of the examination for the personal finance course that will be a requirement for Missouri high school students graduating in 2010 and beyond.

It was an online test, with good reason, because the actual assessment will be done online once the students have completed their in-class or online instruction.

DESE’s Stan Johnson says this course is much more than lessons on how to balance a checkbook as it will teach students about investments, borrowing money, and other financial issues. Personal finance contest will be offered as part of classes in several subjects including business, math, family and consumer sciences, and social students.

Approximately 2,000 students took part in the online test. The personal finance course will be offered, for real, this year with the actual online test up and running by December.

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