03/13/2026
By Zakkiyya Witherspoon

The School of Education invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Marcy Decker “Teaching money with confidence, teaching math with meaning: Enhancing financial education teaching efficacy beliefs among secondary math teachers through PLCs."

Candidate: Marcy Decker
Degree: Doctoral- Ed.D. Leadership in Schooling, STEM
Defense Date: March 26, 2026
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Coburn Hall Room 228
Thesis/Dissertation Title: Teaching money with confidence, teaching math with meaning: Enhancing financial education teaching efficacy beliefs among secondary math teachers through PLCs

Dissertation Committee

  • Chair: Christy Whittlesey, Ph.D., Adjunct Faculty, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Committee Member: Eleanor Abrams, Ph.D., Professor, School of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract
Financial illiteracy is a persistent challenge, as data shows, and access to formal financial education remains uneven across California, particularly limited in Title I secondary schools. This dissertation in practice examined how strengthening secondary mathematics teachers’ financial education teaching efficacy beliefs could expand equitable access to financial education mathematics instruction. This improvement science study implemented a four-week professional learning community (PLC) intervention using a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle with five secondary mathematics teacher participants. The study addressed two questions: (1) How, if at all, does engagement in a financial education math professional learning community using a professional development series affect the financial education teaching efficacy beliefs of 9-12th grade math teachers? and (2) What factors do 9-12th grade math teachers perceive as impacting their personal and outcome expectancy as a result of engaging in a four-week PLC? A concurrent mixed-methods design included pre- and post-intervention surveys, semi-structured pre- and post- interviews, and teacher reflection journals, with the primary aim of the study focused on increasing the financial education teaching efficacy beliefs of secondary mathematics teachers. Quantitative results revealed a 10.7% improvement in teachers’ efficacy beliefs and findings suggested that participation in the PLC positively impacted teachers’ financial education teaching efficacy beliefs. Limitations include a small sample size and short duration. The dissertation concludes by providing recommendations for moving forward and outlines an action plan for implementing and sustaining the study’s findings, which additionally serves as a guide for advancing the integration of financial education into mathematics instruction.