About Jump$tart Oregon

Jump$tart Oregon is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to promote the personal financial literacy of Oregonians, with our primary emphasis on youth. We are a coalition, comprised of individuals, non-profit and governmental agencies and the corporate sector, who have joined together to improve the personal financial literacy of Oregon youth.

Jump$tart's purpose is to evaluate the financial literacy of young adults; develop, disseminate, and encourage the use of standards for grades K-12; and promote the teaching of personal finance. The Jump$tart Coalition believes that all young adults need to have the financial literacy necessary to make informed financial decisions.

First convened in December, 1995, the National Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy determined that the average student who graduates from high school lacks basic skills in the management of personal financial affairs. Many are unable to balance a checkbook and most have no insight into the basic survival principles involved with earning, spending, saving and investing.

Many young people fail in the management of their first consumer credit experience, establish bad financial management habits, and stumble through their lives learning by trial and error. The Coalition’s direct objective is to encourage curriculum enrichment to ensure that basic personal financial management skills are attained during the K-12 educational experience.

Jump$tart Oregon Goals

• To participate in the 2008 survey with at least 10 schools in order to ensure Oregon will obtain state specific statistics
• Increase awareness of financial literacy resources available to the community through the Jump$tart Oregon website, by participating in local conferences and through member advocacy
• Continue to increase membership of Jump$tart Oregon