Recognition validates FutureSmart program has
a positive impact on student financial capability
CHARLESTON, S.C. and SPRINGFIELD, Mass., March 5,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The MassMutual
Foundation and EVERFI® from Blackbaud®, the leader in powering
social impact through education, have announced that their
FutureSmart financial education program for middle school
students has been certified as meeting the evidence-based standards
set forth in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), aligning
with Level III certification for "Promising Evidence."
FutureSmart is a free digital financial literacy program for
middle schoolers sponsored by the MassMutual Foundation that
empowers students to effectively manage their finances, make sound
decisions, and become financially responsible. Through a
story-based narrative and interactive exercises, students learn to
make real-life decisions about their personal finances, as well as
how to achieve important goals around saving money, education and
career planning, and budgeting.
"Democratizing access to financial education so that all
students have a chance to understand money and how it works
provides an important foundation for long-term financial health and
well-being," said Dennis Duquette,
president of the MassMutual Foundation. "We knew when we set out to
create this program – which has empowered more than four and a half
million students to date – that we were in a unique position to
make an impact on students and the trajectory of their financial
future. This recognition validates that FutureSmart shows a
promising impact on students and supports the MassMutual
Foundation's focus on helping to build financial resilience,
leading to more opportunities for all."
The ESSA Level III alignment was awarded after extensive review
by independent education research organization LearnPlatform by
Instructure, which certified EVERFI's research, "The MassMutual
Foundation Longitudinal Study of Financial Capability Among
Adolescents." After a systematic evaluation by trained
reviewers, LearnPlatform concluded that the evidence
surrounding FutureSmart meets Level III "Promising Evidence" and
showed a positive, statistically significant relationship with
students' improved financial knowledge, self-efficacy, and
behaviors.
Schools and school districts are increasingly encouraged to use
programs and tools that have proven they positively impact student
outcomes through rigorously designed research studies. The ESSA
Tiers of Evidence provide an easy to interpret framework for
identifying what programs work.
With LearnPlatform, EVERFI has a respected third-party evidence
partner that solidifies its commitment to demonstrating the impact
of its programs for students. EVERFI is committed to continuing to
strengthen its library of evidence and bring high-quality
evidence-based programs to educators in every classroom.
"Research overwhelmingly shows that in order to combat financial
illiteracy, high-quality financial education must begin early in a
child's life," said Ray Martinez,
co-founder and president, EVERFI from Blackbaud. "Middle school is
a crucial time of financial socialization and the FutureSmart
program with the MassMutual Foundation brings this critical
education to students right when they need it. We're proud of this
validation of our program and are excited to continue making
financial education accessible to more students nationwide."
Launched in 2015, the FutureSmart program has reached more than
four and a half million students and is on track to reach six
million students across all 50 states and Puerto Rico by 2025. Originally focused on
providing financial education to middle school students, the
MassMutual Foundation has expanded the program to include a
FutureSmart app and to provide families and educators access to
digital personal finance education.
For more information on the FutureSmart program, visit:
https://futuresmart.massmutual.com/en/
About the MassMutual Foundation
The MassMutual Foundation, Inc. is a dedicated corporate foundation
established by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
(MassMutual). The MassMutual Foundation fuels initiatives that
increase financial resilience within communities served by the
company and fosters a culture of community engagement for
MassMutual's employees as well as affiliated financial
professionals. In support of this mission, the Foundation
invests in programs that help people access resources needed to
earn, protect, and help build their financial capability and
thrive. The Foundation also supports community vitality efforts
where MassMutual operates. To learn more about the MassMutual
Foundation, please visit www.massmutual.com/foundation.
About EVERFI from Blackbaud
EVERFI® from
Blackbaud® (NASDAQ: BLKB) is an international technology
company driving social impact through education to address the most
challenging issues affecting society ranging from financial
wellness to mental health to workplace conduct and other critical
topics. Founded in 2008, EVERFI's Impact-as-a-Service™ solution and
digital educational content have reached more than 45 million
learners globally. In 2020, the company was recognized as one of
the World's Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company and was
featured on Fortune Magazine's Impact 20 List. The company was also
named to the 2021 GSV EdTech 150, a list of the most transformative
growth companies in digital learning. Blackbaud acquired EVERFI in
December of 2021. To learn more about EVERFI, please visit
everfi.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or
X/Twitter @EVERFI.
Media Inquiries
Jennifer Edgerly
EVERFI
jedgerly@everfi.com
Laura Crisco
MassMutual
lcrisco@massmutual.com
Blackbaud Forward-looking Statements
Except for
historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and
assumptions contained in this news release are forward-looking
statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties,
including statements regarding expected benefits of products and
product features. Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in
making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future
circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such
statements are based. In addition, other important factors that
could cause results to differ materially include the following:
general economic risks; uncertainty regarding increased business
and renewals from existing customers; continued success in sales
growth; management of integration of acquired companies and other
risks associated with acquisitions; risks associated with
successful implementation of multiple integrated software products;
the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks associated
with management of growth; lengthy sales and implementation cycles,
particularly in larger organization; technological changes that
make our products and services less competitive; and the other risk
factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for
Blackbaud, copies of which are available free of charge at the
SEC's website at www.sec.gov or upon request from Blackbaud's
investor relations department. All Blackbaud product names
appearing herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Blackbaud, Inc.
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