Mathematics of Personal Finance

Course Description:

In this course, students will explore the mathematics concepts and processes associated with personal finance and improve their basic math skills.

Course Details:

Course Title (District): Mathematics of Personal Finance
Course Title (NCES SCED) : Consumer Mathematics
Course Provider : Montague Area Public Schools
Content Provided By : Michigan Virtual
Online Instructor Provided By : Montague Area Public Schools
Standards Addressed : Common Core State Standards
Alignment Document : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11xWIdGbYFIAZC8QGbr1KVBaapnwN4rURHj7_afTk4Ys/edit?usp=sharing
Academic Terms : Accelerated, Semester, Trimester
NCES SCED Code :
Subject Area : Mathematics
Course Identifier : Consumer Mathematics
Course Level : High School (Secondary)
Available Credit : 0.5
Sequence : 1 of 2

How To Enroll:

Enrollment Website : https://slp.michiganvirtual.org/
Email : [email protected]
Phone : (888) 889-2840

Students and Parents: It is important to work closely with your local school counselor or registrar to follow the school's enrollment procedures. By clicking the "Start Registration Request" button below, you will be able to notify the school of your interest in registering for the online course. However, it is the responsibility of the district or school to review the registration request and approve or deny the request. Please make a note to follow up with your school after submitting a registration request.

Start Registration Request

Additional Course Information:

Additional Cost: $0.0

Additional Cost Description:

NA

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • describe the relationship between net and gross income;
  • interpret tax tables for both regular and graduated incomes;
  • create and analyze a personal budget; and
  • calculate simple and compound interest scenarios.

iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses

Academic Content Standards and Assessments Rating Comments
The goals and objectives clearly state what the participants will know or be able to do at the end of the course. The goals and objectives are measurable in multiple ways. Fully Met The syllabus lists the course goals and objectives. The pacing guides showcase the types of learning and assessments students will engage in. Both can be found under Course Info.
The course content and assignments are aligned with the state’s content standards, Common Core curriculum, or other accepted content standards set for Advanced Placement® courses, technology, computer science, or other courses whose content is not included in the state standards. Fully Met Michigan does not currently have a requirement although personal finance may be taught as an elective. Several objectives are part of the National Standards in Personal Finance Education - see jumpstart.org for more.
The course content and assignments are of sufficient rigor, depth and breadth to teach the standards being addressed. Fully Met This course will require a lot of reading for some assignments.
Information literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum. Partially Met Information literacy and communication skills are incorporated in this class. There isn't a situation where the digital literacy skills were being taught. There seemed to be an assumption that students would know how to extract information from the videos, interactives and readings.
Multiple learning resources and materials to increase student success are available to students before the course begins. Fully Met Course Info section and Module 1 provide resources
Course Overview and Introduction Rating Comments
Clear, complete course overview and syllabus are included in the course. Fully Met The course info section of Blackboard includes links to syllabus and pacing guide.
Course requirements are consistent with course goals, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. Fully Met The approximate time frame fro specific assignments are not available. Weekly time frames seem more appropriate.
Information is provided to students, parents and mentors on how to communicate with the online instructor and course provider. Fully Met This is found in the Getting Help and Instructor Info pages.
Legal and Acceptable Use Policies Rating Comments
The course reflects multi-cultural education, and the content is accurate, current and free of bias or advertising. Fully Met
Expectations for academic integrity, use of copyrighted materials, plagiarism and netiquette (Internet etiquette) regarding lesson activities, discussions, and e-mail communications are clearly stated. Fully Met
Privacy policies are clearly stated. Fully Met
Instructor Resources Rating Comments
Online instructor resources and notes are included. Fully Met
Assessment and assignment answers and explanations are included. Partially Met Modules 1, 2, and 3 have answer keys available in Instructor Only location. There were a couple sample assignments, rubrics for discussions and 2 rubrics for writing assignments.
Accessing Course Effectiveness Rating Comments
The course provider uses multiple ways of assessing course effectiveness. Fully Met MVS uses a variety of resources to assess course effectiveness. MVS utilizes a student survey. MVS also uses enrollment numbers, course completion (60% or higher in course) data, instructor feedback on courses, sales team data, and outside course reviewers to assess the quality of the course.
The course is evaluated using a continuous improvement cycle for effectiveness and the findings used as a basis for improvement. Fully Met MVS uses feedback from instructors to improve courses. MVS also creates an improvement schedule for courses that are aligned to new or changing standards (such as AP or CCSS), student survey feedback, and outside course reviewers' feedback.
Course Updates Rating Comments
The course is updated periodically to ensure that the content is current. Fully Met Courses are updated as a result of changes in standards or requirements. Courses are also updated by instructors to fix broken links, replace content, or to supplement course content.
Certification Rating Comments
Course instructors, whether faceto-face or virtual, are certificated and “highly qualified.” The online course teacher possesses a teaching credential from a state-licensing agency and is “highly qualified” as defined under ESEA. Fully Met MVS requires teachers to be Highly Qualified and possess a valid Michigan teaching certificate.
Instructor and Student Support Rating Comments
Professional development about the online course delivery system is offered by the provider to assure effective use of the courseware and various instructional media available. Fully Met In Instructor's Corner, MVS instructors have access to a variety of tutorials. the Instructor's Corner course was not visible on the review course.
The course provider offers technical support and course management assistance to students, the course instructor, and the school coordinator. Fully Met Available under the Getting Help link.
Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, have been provided professional development in the behavioral, social, and when necessary, emotional, aspects of the learning environment. Fully Met MVS requires an online instructor training class as well as follow up PD.
Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, receive instructor professional development, which includes the support and use of a variety of communication modes to stimulate student engagement online. Fully Met Instructors have access to four modules in an online "class" called Instructor's Corner. These modules provide overviews of the Blackboard system and its features.
The provider assures that course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, are provided support, as needed, to ensure their effectiveness and success in meeting the needs of online students. Fully Met Course instructors have a variety of support staff to assist them in their success. Contracted employees reach out to 'department chairs' who are full time instructors for MVU. Full time instructors can escalate issues to the administrative staff, Customer Service, or Technology Support team. All instructors, full or part time, have access to these resources via phone, email, or face to face contact. Mentor teachers who are in the schools with students are another resource for instructors to utilize to help ensure student success.
Students are offered an orientation for taking an online course before starting the coursework. Fully Met An introductory video is available.
Instructional and Audience Analysis Rating Comments
Course design reflects a clear understanding of all students’ needs and incorporates varied ways to learn and master the curriculum. Fully Met There are videos, interactive websites, simulations, quizzes, research, and writing.
Course, Unit and Lesson Design Rating Comments
The course is organized by units and lessons that fall into a logical sequence. Each unit and lesson includes an overview describing objectives, activities, assignments, assessments, and resources to provide multiple learning opportunities for students to master the content. Fully Met
Instructional Strategies and Activities Rating Comments
The course instruction includes activities that engage students in active learning. Fully Met
The course and course instructor provide students with multiple learning paths, based on student needs that engage students in a variety of ways. Fully Met
The course provides opportunities for students to engage in higher-order thinking, critical reasoning activities and thinking in increasingly complex ways. Fully Met Simulations and application of concepts.
The course provides options for the instructor to adapt learning activities to accommodate students’ needs. Fully Met
Readability levels, written language assignments and mathematical requirements are appropriate for the course content and grade-level expectations. Fully Met There are grade level and prerequisites found in the syllabus.
Communication and Interaction Rating Comments
The course design provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student interaction, including opportunities for timely and frequent feedback about student progress. Fully Met
The course design includes explicit communication/activities (both before and during the first week of the course) that confirms whether students are engaged and are progressing through the course. The instructor will follow program guidelines to address non-responsive students. Fully Met
The course provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student and student-student interaction to foster mastery and application of the material. Fully Met There are discussion boards, email, and teacher feedback.
Resources and Materials Rating Comments
Students have access to resources that enrich the course content. Fully Met There are many additional resources available.
Evaluation Strategies Rating Comments
Student evaluation strategies are consistent with course goals and objectives, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. Fully Met
The course structure includes adequate and appropriate methods and procedures to assess students’ mastery of content. Fully Met
Feedback Rating Comments
Ongoing, varied, and frequent assessments are conducted throughout the course to inform instruction. Partially Met This is scored as partially met only due to lack of pre-assessments
Assessment strategies and tools make the student continuously aware of his/her progress in class and mastery of the content. Fully Met The gradebook is available for students to check progress.
Assessment Resources and Materials Rating Comments
Assessment materials provide the instructor with the flexibility to assess students in a variety of ways. Fully Met
Grading rubrics are provided to the instructor and may be shared with students. Partially Met There were only a few grading rubrics that were clearly stated. Most were not complete or not available.
The grading policy and practices are easy to understand. Fully Met This is found in the Course Info and in Grade Center.
Course Architecture Rating Comments
The course architecture permits the online instructor to add content, activities and assessments to extend learning opportunities. Fully Met Blackboard has these tools.
The course accommodates multiple school calendars; e.g., block, 4X4 and traditional schedules. Fully Met This is found in the various pacing guides.
User Interface Rating Comments
Clear and consistent navigation is present throughout the course. Fully Met
Rich media are provided in multiple formats for ease of use and access in order to address diverse student needs. Fully Met
Technology Requirements and Interoperability Rating Comments
All technology requirements (including hardware, browser, software, etc...) are specified. Fully Met There is a technological requirements page.
Prerequisite skills in the use of technology are identified. Fully Met
The course uses content-specific tools and software appropriately. Fully Met
The course is designed to meet internationally recognized interoperability standards. Fully Met
Copyright and licensing status, including permission to share where applicable, is clearly stated and easily found. Fully Met This is found in the Acceptable Use policy.
Accessibility Rating Comments
Course materials and activities are designed to provide appropriate access to all students. The course, developed with universal design principles in mind, conforms to the U.S. Section 504 and Section 508 provisions for electronic and information technology as well as the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility guidelines (WCAg 2.0). Fully Met Assistive technology such as text readers could be used with this online class. Any other assistance that a student received in a face-to-face classroom situation could also be used, such as an aide for working with video or interactives.
Data Security Rating Comments
Student information remains confidential, as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Fully Met This is located in the Privacy Policy.

Review Conducted By: Michigan Virtual
Date of Review: 07/30/2014

  • Gross Income
  • Net Income
  • Income Tax
  • Budgets
  • Assets
  • Transportation
  • Mortgages
  • Stock Market Simulation
  • Credit
  • Insurances
  • Money Skill Simulation wrap-up
  • Career Exploration / Education
  • After Graduation / Start Career
Term Type Enrollment Opens Enrollment Ends Random Draw Date Enrollment Drop Date Course Starts Course Ends # of Seats Course Fee Potential Additional Costs
Drop Policy Completion Policy Term Type Enrollment Opens Enrollment Ends
Students can use chat, email or private message system within the course to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance.