Far too many adults get into financial difficulty because they don’t understand some of the basics of investing, saving and managing their money. But teachers at Northstar Elementary School are helping students get the jump on having a better understanding of how finances work, through a state-sponsored course.

The Iowa Insurance Division sponsors “Dimes, Dollars and Decisions” for local schools; a visit from its representatives last month was the culmination of a week-long study of how they can manage their money once they get older.

Kyle Kincaid from Northstar tells KNIA/KRLS News this is part of the Iowa core requirements for teaching children 21st Century skills, and it gives them the mindset they’ll need when they start earning and spending their own money.

“One of our responsibilities as educators is not to make decisions for children about what to do with their money eventually, but to give them the tools to be able to make those decisions in their own best interest,’ Kincaid says.

The week included discussions of taxes, interest and loans, saving and investing, and the difference between debit and credit cards. It ended with a presentation for the students, with a series of skits geared towards explaining these concepts to children.