KHSA’s Financial Literacy project was started in February of 2012 and continues today. The ultimate goal is to establish a statewide system for delivering evidence-based financial literacy sessions to all Head Start programs in Kansas.  This pilot effort created partnerships with local banks that, in turn, recruited their employees to deliver evidence-based curricula to families and help to promote financial stability for families seeking to rise above the poverty line. Community partners also learned about poverty in Kansas, the personal impact it has on people's lives and how to support individual-change efforts.

hearing the right voices

The first step in creating KHSA's financial literacy training was input from Parent Focus Groups.  Parents identified a number of issues, that included the following:

• Parents wanted to know more about budgeting, saving and thrifty living
• Many felt that banks were scary places that didn't value them
• However, the cost of paying bills without access to a bank was steep
• They wanted peer support groups

It’s not just about the money

• Children in poverty are less than half as likely to do well in school*
• Children in poverty suffer with chronic health conditions*
• The longer a child is exposed to poverty the deeper the negative impact*

[*Sources include: Center for Study of Social Policy; Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Poverty and Children’s Magazine]

Pilot Results

After the pilot courses:

• 70% of parents reported feeling more comfortable talking to bank staff 
• 100% reported they would recommend the class to friends and family
• 91% reported the class covered what they were hoping to learn