In a move that reflects the ever-increasing importance of teaching entrepreneurship to high school students, the Florida Department of Education has introduced Entrepreneurship as a high school major course, to be taught at participating schools statewide. As part of the A++ Education Act signed by Gov. Jeb Bush in June 2006, students can sign up for the Entrepreneurship major starting in the 2007-2008 school year, which will become one of 442 majors offered under the Education Act.

Instrumental in the development of curriculum which may be used to implement the Entrepreneurship major is NFTE, (the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship) an organization committed to providing entrepreneurship education to low-income and minority youth.

"With the implementation of the new majors next year, students should have greater motivation to stay in school," stated Alice Horn, Executive Director of NFTE South Florida. "In fact, through our program nationwide; we have witnessed a decrease in the high school drop-out rate, and an increase in college attendance. This has also been documented by the Harvard Graduate School of Education who conducted a multi-year study to investigate the NFTE program's influence on school engagement."

NFTE, which began in 1987 as a program to prevent inner-city students from dropping out of school, has flourished into a highly successful organization teaching entrepreneurship, business and leadership skills in 47 states and 16 countries, impacting over 150,000 students worldwide. The South Florida office opened its doors in January 2006 and has since trained 52 teachers who are teaching over 2,000 students in schools and community-based organizations this school year. Miami-Dade's County Public School Board has also embraced the organization; NFTE's programs are currently taught in 23 high schools throughout Miami-Dade County. That number is set to increase to other counties during the 2007-2008 school year.

NFTE's mission, which is to provide economic productivity by improving students' academic, business and life skills, has caught the attention of corporations and institutions who realize the tremendous value of instilling entrepreneurship skills into education, learning and the workforce. NFTE has also partnered with Miami-Dade College (MDC) and Florida International University (FIU), to offer ongoing entrepreneurship education opportunities at the college and university levels.

The Importance of Teaching Entrepreneurship to Today's Students Cannot Be Overestimated

"This approach to education benefits our entire community and the economy," says Alice Horn. "Small businesses are driving the South Florida region as we transform into a 'knowledge based economy.' Entrepreneurship education provides essential training for this new economy by creating awareness, while also teaching students business skills, critical thinking and the use of technology. These skills are essential to bridge the economic divide for the high percentage of students in our schools who come from minority and low-income communities. The statewide introduction of entrepreneurship classes by the Florida Department of Education reinforces and legitimizes the importance of teaching today's students these vital skills."

Florida is now becoming a working model for school boards around the country. The Florida Department of Education has been receiving calls from as far away as Arizona and California -- other states who are trying to emulate what Florida is already doing.