RIVERSIDE – With the World Economic Forum reporting financial literacy among U.S. adults hovering at 50% (TIAA Institute-GFLEC Personal Finance Index), and a recent Pew Research Center report showing that TK-12 schools finish behind family, friends, the internet, media, and colleges on the list of top learning sources for students to learn about personal finance (2023 Pew Research Center), the opportunity to integrate financial literacy into schools is essential to prepare students for life after high school graduation.
Footsteps2Brilliance Financial Literacy, is a bilingual, cross-curricular program that helps students in grades 4–8 build career-ready skills while strengthening reading, writing, math, and critical thinking. While using the program, students explore careers, make money choices, and apply what they learn in interactive graphic-novel story adventures. With built-in AI writing support and real-time reports, teachers get the tools they need to drive engagement. An introductory video is available at https://vimeo.com/1115547474/6adbebe805?share=copy,
The program’s versatile content can be seamlessly integrated into both English and Spanish Language Arts instruction, summer learning initiatives, before- and after-school enrichment, reading intervention blocks, social studies courses, elective offerings, or career readiness pathways. A pilot program earlier in 2025 revealed that students showed a 76.6% gain on financial literacy knowledge from pre-test to post-test.
In support of Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin Gomez’s Financial Literacy Initiative, Footsteps2Brilliance Financial Literacy is now available at no cost to all 4th–8th grade students and their families in Riverside County. The app supports educational growth and career readiness through a rigorous curriculum that is fun, flexible, and free. Families can register today at footsteps2brilliance.com/riverside.
“I believe that financial literacy can be the great equalizer in our society, and I’m excited that the Footsteps2Brilliance team has accepted the challenge to develop an innovative tool to help our students succeed in school and in life,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez.
“We are honored to be a trusted partner with Riverside County in advancing early literacy and to support Dr. Gomez’s bold vision,” said Ilene Rosenthal, Footsteps2Brilliance’s CEO. “Now, we are thrilled to expand that partnership to include another essential pillar—financial literacy. This initiative fills a critical missing link in education, ensuring that students not only graduate prepared for college and careers, but also with the knowledge and confidence to make core financial decisions that will shape the course of their lives.”
Since 2022, more than 242,000 Riverside County students have read 1.3 billion words through access to the interactive early literacy programs from Footsteps2Brilliance in support of the Literacy by 5th Grade Initiative launched in 2020 by Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. Free access to the bilingual program remains available for all TK-5th grade students in Riverside County by visiting www.myf2b.com/riverside.
PILOT PROGRAM SHOWS IMPACT ON STUDENTS
After a successful pilot program in select Riverside County classrooms earlier in the year, the program launch was announced by Footsteps2Brilliance at the Riverside County Office of Education’s Excellence Through Education Conference in Palm Springs on Thursday, September 25, 2025.
Fifth-grade teachers, Ashley Fisher and Aly Ryan from Troth Street Elementary School in Jurupa Unified School District participated in the pilot program in early 2025.
“I was interested in the program because our curriculum doesn’t focus very much on finances. Even something as simple as money is not really a focus,” Ashley said.
“When we started, there were definitely a lot of confused looks like, ‘Why are we doing this?’ But, that was only because they're not used to learning about money and they're not used to learning about financial topics,” Ashley said. “A lot of them are really excited about it. They were excited to have something different.”
At times, Aly and Ashley were able to teach part of the curriculum to the whole class at once, and, if they didn’t have time to finish, students were able to complete sections independently.
“They were learning about things that we didn’t really learn until high school, or beyond,” Aly said. “Since our district is already using Footsteps2Brilliance, we’ve already been interacting with that program, so it was a super smooth transition to using the Financial Literacy program.”
About Footsteps2Brilliance
Footsteps2Brilliance, Inc. is the breakthrough educational platform that accelerates student achievement from birth through 8th grade by uniting the power of mobile technology with the latest in cognitive research. Through its comprehensive bilingual programs in early literacy and financial literacy, Footsteps2Brilliance delivers enticing, interactive, 24/7 learning experiences that digitally connect school and home. By strengthening foundational reading, writing, math, and life skills, including the financial decision-making students need for future success, Footsteps2Brilliance gives every student the tools to thrive in school today and lead meaningful, prosperous lives tomorrow. For further information contact: info@footsteps2brilliance.com.
About the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE)
RCOE is a service agency supporting the county’s 23 school districts and 500+ schools that serve nearly 430,000 students—more than the student population of 17 states. RCOE services include administrative support to districts and charter schools, programs for preschool, special education, pregnant minor, correctional, migrant, and vocational students. In addition, the organization provides professional training, support, and resources for more than 18,000 teachers, administrators, and staff, throughout the 7,000 square miles of Riverside County. Learn more about the Financial Literacy Initiative and the Literacy by 5th Grade Initiative at www.rcoe.us/initiatives.
