History
68 Years and Counting!
During the summer of 1951, the first workshop on economic education for Illinois teachers was held
On August 3, 1951, the Joint Council on Economic Education (now the Council for Economic Education) issued a formal certificate of affiliation for the Illinois Council on Economic Education. In October of that same year, twenty workshop participants met and voted to formally establish the Illinois Council on Economic Education.
In October of 1967, the Illinois Council on Economic Education (now dba Econ Illinois) was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in Illinois, and thus began a reorganization and revitalization of the Council.
In addition to the workshops provided since the start, Econ Illinois added many statewide programs: the Teaching Economics and Financial Literacy conference; The Stock Market Game program; the Illinois Personal Finance Challenge; the Illinois Economics Challenge; the Economics Poster Contest; InvestWrite; the 3M Economic Educator Awards; and the Illinois Capitol Challenge.
To help with funding needs, Econ Illinois first hosted the annual American Dream Dinner fundraiser in 2008. Econ Illinois also provides volunteer opportunities to companies to help them partner with schools in their communities.
Thanks to the members of Econ Illinois’ two Boards, the generous donors, educators, legislators




- Mission
- History
- Staff
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- University Centers for Economic Education
- Financial Literacy Standards Advocacy Partnership with the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office
- Related Links
- NIU Division of Outreach, Engagement, and Regional
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