Foundations in Personal Finance is a financial literacy program by Ramsey Solutions for high school students. It focuses on practical money management skills with a biblical approach, making it popular among Christian homeschool families.
Research from the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) shows that homeschooled students typically score 15 to 25 percentile points higher than public school students on standardized academic achievement tests. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), approximately 3.3 million students were homeschooled in the United States as of 2023, representing roughly 6% of the school-age population.
What is Foundations in Personal Finance?
Foundations in Personal Finance is a solid financial literacy course for high schoolers. Created by Ramsey Solutions, it offers over 12 hours of videos featuring Dave Ramsey, Rachel Cruze, and Chris Hogan. Students learn important skills like budgeting, saving, understanding credit, preparing for careers, and investing. The homeschool edition includes Bible references on handling money, making it a favorite for Christian families. More than 45% of U.S. schools use some version of this course.
What makes it different
This course focuses on real-life money skills, not just theory. Students won't get bogged down in economic policies. Instead, they'll learn how to budget, why debt is dangerous, and how compound interest can help or hurt them. The videos are lively and relatable, perfect for those who might not be eager learners. Parents don’t need to be finance experts; the curriculum provides everything needed. Kids can learn on their own or with some help, and there are auto-graded quizzes to lighten the parent's load.
Considerations for homeschoolers
Foundations in Personal Finance reflects Dave Ramsey's views, which stress avoiding debt and saving for emergencies before investing. Many families find this approach helpful, but some may want to add other ideas on things like mortgages or credit cards. The Christian version teaches that money should be handled God's way, which many appreciate, but it might not work for secular families. The standard edition removes Bible references but keeps all the practical content.
The bottom line
If you're a homeschool family looking to help teens gain financial independence, Foundations in Personal Finance is a great choice. It teaches practical skills that schools often overlook. The video format suits independent learners, and while it offers one viewpoint, it gives clear, actionable advice for teens. At about $90 for a year of access, it's a budget-friendly option compared to other college prep courses.
