Date of Award

Fall 2025

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

Educational Studies

First Advisor

Elizabeth Currin

Abstract

This mixed-methods action research study with an explanatory sequential design investigated teacher financial capability and financial well-being in advance of a mandate that will require high school students in Florida to take a semester-long personal finance course, taught by social studies teachers. Survey results from 47 participants—teachers at a large suburban high school and high school social studies teachers across a Florida school district serving just over 29,000 students—indicated that while most teachers can answer basic financial literacy questions, many lack the financial self-efficacy to ensure their financial future. Teachers had varying experiences with financial socialization. While many had experienced both explicit and implicit instruction at home, some had learned from other role models or from self-study, consistent with scholarship on learning by modeling or through vicarious experiences.

As practical and participatory action research, the study also aimed to improve teachers’ financial capability. An intervention in the form of a book study resulted in an increase in financial literacy, financial self-efficacy, retirement self-efficacy, or financial well-being for six participants. The survey data that targeted social studies teachers indicated that over half did not feel confident or were not interested in teaching personal finance and nearly half had zero training to teach personal finance. This result suggests teacher training, supported by the state, districts, and high schools across Florida, is warranted before social studies teachers are tasked with teaching the personal finance course to the Class of 2027. Future research should also explore the effectiveness of the personal finance course for high school students. Additionally, school districts should consider ways to improve educators’ financial self-efficacy to ensure their financial well-being.

Rights

© 2025, Jessica Morey

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