In 2022, the South Carolina State Board of Education approved a requirement that all high school students complete a half credit financial literacy class before graduation. Looking to provide its teachers with enough quality resources and training to meet the mandate, the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDOE) met with their trusted EVERFI Support Team. Having worked with EVERFI for well over a decade, the SCDOE knew that EVERFI had a robust platform of life skills resources and an attentive Schools Team dedicated to supporting teachers, students, and administrators all at no cost.
In this case study you’ll learn:
- How EVERFI supported the SCDOE in its goal of providing districts with high-quality resources to fulfill the new state mandate.
- The impact EVERFI’s resources had on student learning.
- How you can bring EVERFI’s free financial resources & support to your district.
Alignment & Access: Supporting All Districts
The SCDOE wondered whether EVERFI’s existing personal finance lessons would meet the rigorous standards set by the mandate. After examining the requirements, EVERFI aligned its entire suite of on- and offline lessons with the state’s standards. Going the extra mile, they then developed additional offline lessons, ensuring that teachers had a comprehensive, turnkey platform at their disposal.
The SCDOE prioritized equitable access to quality resources across all districts, regardless of size or socioeconomic makeup. With confidence, state administrators pointed to South Carolina districts—some as large as 76,000 students and others as small as 500—that had relied on EVERFI for years. EVERFI’s commitment to providing high-quality resources and support to all districts at no cost was more than mere rhetoric; it was a tangible reality.
Ensuring Success Through Dedicated Support
While the Department of Education refrains from endorsing specific curricula, it actively facilitates engagement between partners and educators. Through a series of state-wide webinars, presentations at the annual SC Education & Business Summit, and timely newsletters, South Carolina teachers and district leaders explored EVERFI’s sixteen free personal finance resources and dozens of offline lessons already being used by over 400 schools.
The strong working relationship between the SCDOE and EVERFI has evolved over years of consistent delivery on promises and attentive support. EVERFI’s dedicated support leads meet regularly with DOE administrators across various departments. In these meetings, EVERFI actively listens to administrator needs and feedback, providing them with real-time usage and learning data, exclusive previews of new resources, college scholarships and more.
EVERFI’s Impact on Student Learning & Teacher Confidence
At the time of this writing, about 61% of South Carolina’s high schools utilize at least one EVERFI resource to teach financial literacy with more schools scheduled to adopt EVERFI in the final nine weeks of the ‘24-’25 school year.
Financial education isn’t limited to high school students. Over 150 K-8 schools in the state are also using EVERFI to teach younger students financial skills like wants & needs, identifying financial values, and budgeting.
An analysis of all South Carolina educators using EVERFI to teach financial literacy shows that:
- Most (64%) are focusing on teaching foundational skills like budgeting and banking.
- 28% of teachers are expanding beyond the basics into areas like crypto and money’s impact on mental health.
- A small & growing percentage of teachers (8%) are having their students explore careers in finance such as accounting and data science.
Depending on which EVERFI resource high schoolers are using to become more financially literate, data shows that students are achieving average learning gains of 11% to 44%!
EVERFI regularly provides administrators with a detailed breakdown of usage and learning gains in the form of an Impact Report. If you’d like to see your district’s unique learning data, request your Impact Report today!
Teachers and district leaders, not just state administrators, express their satisfaction with EVERFI year after year. Educators appreciate the peace of mind that comes from knowing EVERFI’s resources are completely turnkey and engage students through interactive, unbiased, and fact-based lessons.
“[EVERFI] is a tremendous program to supplement what you are already doing in the classroom. The activities are engaging & full of useful information for the students. The feedback is immediate & the knowledge they gain will assist them as they move forward & become active members of the economy.” – Teacher, Horry County Schools (SC)
Strengthen Financial Literacy in Your State with EVERFI
EVERFI extends the same resources and support provided to the South Carolina Department of Education and its school districts to all states and districts at no cost.
This commitment is made possible through EVERFI’s network of local and national organizations, passionate about equipping schools with essential life skills. With EVERFI’s partners covering all costs, districts can focus on empowering their students.
Want to learn how EVERFI can support you in meeting your district’s goals? Meet with your district’s support team today.
