For educators

Built for educators.

Reality Check 2.0 is designed to drop into any financial literacy lesson — with discussion guides, standards alignment, and activities that get students thinking.

Free for schools
No accounts needed
Aligned to Jump$tart Standards
Teaching tools

Everything you need to run the lesson.

SHARE
Shareable links

Send students straight to the simulator with a simple link. No setup, no accounts — just open and go.

DISC
Discussion guide

Built-in prompts at every step help students explain their choices and compare trade-offs as a group.

STDS
Standards alignment

Each screen maps to Jump$tart National Standards. Easy documentation for curriculum requirements.

PDF
PDF export

Students can download their results for reflection, portfolio evidence, or take-home conversations.

ACT
Ready-made activities

Use the included lesson hooks and reflection questions to integrate the tool into any unit.

NOLOGIN
No login required

No accounts, no passwords, no friction — students focus on learning, not managing credentials.

How to use it in your classroom

Four ways to drop it into your unit.

1
As a lesson opener

Have students complete the check before a unit on budgeting, careers, or financial planning. Use results as a 'before' snapshot.

2
For career exploration

Use the Career Explorer tab to connect academic subjects to real salaries and explore what education paths lead where.

3
Discussion starter

Project a sample result and ask students to defend their choices — why that city? Why that budget trade-off?

4
As a culminating activity

After a financial literacy unit, revisit the tool. Compare new results to the original and show how their thinking has evolved.

Aligned to national standards

Jump$tart National Standards mapping.

Reality Check 2.0 maps directly to Jump$tart National Standards for Personal Financial Education — making curriculum documentation easy.

#
Standard
1
Financial Responsibility & Decision Making
Every step requires weighing trade-offs between wants and needs.
2
Planning & Money Management
Budget breakdown shows how income must cover all expense categories.
3
Credit & Debt
Student loan slider illustrates the real monthly cost of borrowing.
4
Employment & Income
Career Explorer directly connects education to earning potential.
5
Investing
Savings & investments slider introduces the concept of building wealth.
Try the tool
realitycheck.jumpstart.org
Open simulator
Connect with us
info@jumpstart.org

(202) 846-6780

Educator resources
jumpstart.org/education

Curricula, training, and partnerships.