New Synchrony survey shows more than 80% of teachers say financial education is essential for their students' success, but  2 in 3 teachers report struggling with student engagement and a lack of relevant lessons to teach effectively

STAMFORD, Conn. , Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Synchrony (NYSE: SYF), a leading consumer financing company at the heart of American commerce and opportunity, today announced it will provide $1 million over two years to nonprofit organizations that help K-12 public educators teach personal finance classes in the United States. The new program, Empowering Financial Futures is part of Synchrony's longstanding philanthropic initiative, Education as an Equalizer, which expands access to education, skills training, and financial literacy in communities. In addition, the company is launching an employee-led Financial Literacy Service Corps to share financial literacy expertise within their local communities. 

"We know building a healthier financial future begins in the classroom," said Denise Yap, President of the Synchrony Foundation. "By equipping K-12 public school teachers with the tools, resources and confidence to teach a personal finance course, we're creating opportunities for students to gain knowledge that will help them achieve financial security, economic mobility, and opportunity throughout their lives."

The most recent Survey of States in 2024 from the Council of Economic Education found 35 states require students to take a course in personal finance to graduate. As more states continue to adopt personal finance requirements, the need to adequately prepare and support teachers has become more crucial than ever.

"As Co-Chair of the Financial Literacy and Wealth Creation Caucus, I am delighted to see Synchrony's vital investment in financial education," said Rep. Joyce Beatty (OH-03). "Our educators are routinely underpaid and underfunded, leaving them without the resources they need to create the next generation of financially capable leaders. This teacher-centered initiative is a unique and inspiring approach to fueling education as a true equalizer for students in our communities. As a champion for financial equity and economic empowerment, I'm grateful for Synchrony's leadership to ensure that students have the tools they need to build a strong financial future."

"Financial literacy opens doors for everyday Americans and empowers working families to make educated decisions about budgeting, saving, and planning for retirement," said Rep. Young Kim (CA-40) and Co-Chair of the Financial Literacy and Wealth Creation Caucus. "I applaud Synchrony for their investment in financial education. As the cost of living continues to skyrocket in California, it is more important than ever that working families understand their personal finances and have the tools they need to build lasting financial independence."

Synchrony brings together leading national nonprofits in the education space, all dedicated to providing direct support to teachers and empowering students to build healthier financial futures. The $1 million grant will support the following efforts:

• Council for Economic Education : Funds will support teacher training initiatives, including professional development, classroom resources, conferences, and launching a new personal finance course for teachers.
• DonorsChoose : Funds will fulfill requests from public school teachers on the nonprofit's website for financial literacy resources, enabling them to support their classroom needs directly.
• Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) : Funds will support JAG specialists who teach classes, including financial literacy, for credit in high schools, middle schools and out-of-school school programs.
• Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy®:  Funds will support teacher training initiatives, including their annual National Educator Conference, as well as all of Jump$tart's ongoing financial education programs for teachers, parents and students.
• Operation HOPE : Funds will support teachers through their national Financial Literacy for All initiative.

Additionally, a new Synchrony-commissioned survey* of teachers associated with the Council for Economic Education, DonorsChoose and JAG underscores the transformative potential of financial education in classrooms and the urgent need to support educators with resources and training.

"Synchrony's shared commitment to education, skills training, and financial literacy makes us proud to partner with them in backing educators," said Steve Bumbaugh, CEO, Council for Economic Education. "Their grant is designed to address the capacity and resource needs revealed in Synchrony's recent survey, so that educators can confidently deliver engaging personal finance lessons and help students build stronger financial futures."

In the Synchrony survey distributed in August to nearly 400 K-12 public school educators nationwide:

• 80% of teachers cited financial education as "essential, extremely important, or very important" in their school curriculum compared to other competencies.
• Less than 60% of educators feel "very confident" about teaching financial education.
• Approximately two-thirds of educators (67%) reported struggling with student engagement, and a lack of relevant content and/or lessons to teach financial education effectively.

Since one of the biggest challenges facing financial education teachers is motivating their students to care about personal finance, Synchrony is also launching the Financial Literacy Service Corps, a train-the-trainer model led by its employees to ignite passion for financial literacy in their communities. Employees from Synchrony hubs across the United States will volunteer to train others on how to teach personal finance topics to students, community leaders, and business partners in their local cities. The program will launch early next year with the goal of empowering employees to increase financial literacy and strengthen the economic resilience of their communities.

Synchrony's annual "Season of Caring" starting in November will see hundreds of employee volunteers support financial education initiatives with local nonprofits in their communities, such as reading financial education books to children, packing financial education kits for students, and engaging in other hands-on opportunities to help people of all ages build essential financial skills.

To date, Synchrony has invested more than $24 million as part of its Education as an Equalizer initiative, which seeks to expand access to higher education, skills training in high-growth fields, and financial literacy in communities across the country.

To learn more about Synchrony's ongoing corporate citizenship efforts and its Education as an Equalizer initiative, visit synchrony.com/corporatecitizenship.

*Methodology: Based on responses to an August 2025 online survey of 375 K-12 public school educators across the United States as conducted by the Council for Economic Education, DonorsChoose and Jobs for America's Graduates.

Media Contact:
Ashley Tufts
Synchrony
Ashley.Tufts2@syf.com

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SOURCE Synchrony