Regardless of income or race, kids are growing up without knowing the basics that will keep them out of financial trouble. In a time when the personal savings rate is negative, credit card debt is growing and kids are more likely to see their parents go through a bankruptcy than divorce, financial education is more important that ever.

Many groups from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors have responded to this need by mandating financial education in schools, developing strategies for increasing financial knowledge among the general public, and creating innovative and new financial education curricula. The challenge is to interest kids in financial education, and ensure that it is effective. We need to get kids on the path to responsible spending and saving behavior before they have to navigate credit card offers, loans for cars and college, and other financial transactions.

Our panel of youth financial education experts examined how to make effective, interesting youth financial education available to all kids. Members of Congress and others will also spoke about policy responses to build financial knowledge and skills.

The Congressional Savings and Ownership Caucus is Co-Chaired by Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN), Rep. Phil English (R-PA), Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. (D-TN) and Rep. Tom Petri (R-WI).