Based on a sit-down interview with Suzanne Costanza, Executive Director, and Joeley Luter, Senior Resource and Outreach Manager, Florida Council on Economic Education (FCEE)
When it comes to financial literacy in Florida’s classrooms, few partnerships have lasted as long or made as big of a difference as the one between the Florida Council on Economic Education (FCEE) and StockTrak. For over 25 years, the two organizations have worked together to bring real-world personal finance education into classrooms across the state.
It all began with a shared goal: helping students understand how money works before they’re expected to manage it on their own.
Making a Big State Feel More Connected
Florida has 67 counties and one of the largest school systems in the country. Reaching students at scale has always been a challenge. But with StockTrak, FCEE found a tool that could make that job a whole lot easier. “Having a turnkey solution like StockTrak really opened the door for us,” Costanza shared. “It allowed us to offer something meaningful to schools without needing to coordinate every single detail at the district level.”
Over the years, the Florida Council on Economic Education (FCEE) has used StockTrak to power their signature programs, including the Florida Stock Market Challenge. Throughout the 10-week simulation, students manage a virtual $100,000 portfolio using real-time market data to trade equities, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds.
More recently, FCEE has expanded their offering to include the Budget Game. The Budget Game is an interactive financial literacy simulation where students play for 12 virtual months—6 months as a student with a part-time job and 6 months as a recent graduate. During the simulation, students are tasked with managing their finances, including budgeting, saving, and paying off student loans. It provides a hands-on, real-world experience that teaches day-to-day money management and financial decision-making.
Students Love It, and So Do Donors
Every year, thousands of students across Florida participate in FCEE’s financial literacy programs powered by StockTrak. In 2024 alone, over 30,000 students registered, representing schools from across the state. That’s nearly double the participation from the previous year—demonstrating just how impactful and fast-growing these programs have become. Teachers consistently say it’s one of the most engaging parts of their curriculum.
“Even the students who don’t win walk away with a better understanding of the markets and how to make smarter decisions,” Luter said.
The programs offer more than just a fun classroom activity—they give students hands-on experience with real-time trading, budgeting, and financial decision-making. That high level of student engagement has also helped FCEE demonstrate value to its supporters. With detailed usage data showing how many students are reached, how long they’re active, and how many trades they’re completing, FCEE can provide clear, measurable results to donors and stakeholders. It’s impact that feels real—and that continues to grow every year.
FCEE also celebrates student success in ways that create lasting memories. Top-performing students and schools get recognized each year, sometimes even at the state Capitol. In one case, a student’s artwork was featured in the state’s economic education calendar, and their grandparents drove across Florida just to see it.
“That kind of pride and support from families and communities is something you can’t measure on a chart. It’s powerful,” Costanza noted.
A Partnership That Keeps Evolving
Education standards and technology have changed a lot over the last 25 years, but FCEE says StockTrak has always been a steady and reliable partner.
“When we started, the focus was mainly on investing. Now we’ve added the Budget Game and other resources that fit the newer financial literacy standards. Whatever the schools need, StockTrak has been ready with solutions,” Costanza said.
The platform is simple to set up, comes with built-in assessments, and makes life easier for busy teachers. That ease of use—and alignment with Florida’s financial literacy standards—has been key to its success.
What’s Next?
Even after all these years, the partnership between FCEE and StockTrak continues to grow. This year, they’re working together on educator summits, conference presentations, and new ways to support teachers and students.
“We’re proud of what we’ve built with StockTrak,” Costanza said. “Our students leave these programs more confident, more informed, and more prepared for the real world. And that’s really what it’s all about.”
To help streamline communication and expand their reach, FCEE also manages a custom-branded StockTrak platform, designed specifically for Florida educators. This white-label site serves as a central hub for sharing registration details, simulation rules, and classroom resources—all tailored to FCEE’s statewide financial literacy initiatives.
Learn More
To learn more about the Florida Council on Economic Education, visit their website at www.fcee.org. Be sure to check out the “FREE PROGRAMS” tab at the top, where educators can easily find and register for the Florida Stock Market Challenge (SMC) and the Budget Game. Both programs are free to Florida schools and offer valuable, hands-on financial education for students across the state.
Interested in bringing these tools to your own classroom, district, or state? Connect with StockTrak to learn more about how our simulations can support your financial literacy goals and help students gain real-world money management skills that last a lifetime.