Rooted at the Table

🏠 Welcome to Your Simulation

Start Here

🌟

Your financial simulation starts now.

You’re about to make real decisions about a career, a home, bills, and unexpected events — using real 2026 numbers. Every choice has a consequence. Every period teaches you something new.

💰

Real Paychecks

Bi-weekly pay based on your chosen career

🏠

Real Bills

Rent, utilities, groceries — actual 2026 costs

⚡

Real Consequences

Life events that test your decisions

Step 1 — Career Selection

AI Impact Research

Choose Your Career Path

Pick the career you want to simulate. You'll see your starting salary, AI displacement risk, and the skills that matter most going forward.

Registered Nurse

$27.16/hr · $56,500/yr

Entry-level, national avg

Low AI Risk

Direct patient care in hospitals, clinics, and homes. High demand, largely AI-resistant.

12%

AI Risk

10+ yrs

Timeline

Tap to see education & prep →

REGISTERED NURSE

🎓 Education Required

4-year BSN or 2-year ADN degree

📋 Requirements

Pass NCLEX-RN licensing exam
Complete required clinical hours
CPR/BLS certification
State nursing license

🌟 What You Can Do Right Now

Volunteer at a hospital or clinic
Take AP Biology and Chemistry
Shadow a nurse for a week
Research dual enrollment nursing programs

Software Developer

$39.51/hr · $82,170/yr

Entry-level, national avg

Medium AI Risk

Build software products and systems. Developers who use AI as a tool will thrive.

35%

AI Risk

5–7 yrs

Timeline

Tap to see education & prep →

SOFTWARE DEVELOPER

🎓 Education Required

4-year CS degree OR bootcamp (3–6 months) + strong portfolio

📋 Requirements

Real project portfolio on GitHub
Proficiency in 2+ programming languages
Data structures & algorithms knowledge
Ability to learn fast and independently

🌟 What You Can Do Right Now

Start coding today — Python or JavaScript
Build a simple app or website
Take free courses at freeCodeCamp.org
Join your school's coding or robotics club

Data Entry Clerk

$14.83/hr · $30,860/yr

Entry-level, national avg

High AI Risk

Data entry is being rapidly automated. This simulation shows the financial reality of stagnant wages.

81%

AI Risk

2–3 yrs

Timeline

Tap to see education & prep →

DATA ENTRY CLERK

🎓 Education Required

High school diploma or GED. Some prefer an associate degree.

📋 Requirements

Fast accurate typing (50+ WPM)
Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets
Basic computer literacy
Attention to detail

🌟 What You Can Do Right Now

Practice typing at Typing.com — aim for 60+ WPM
Learn Excel basics on YouTube
Pivot toward data analysis instead
Use this career as a stepping stone, not a destination

Electrician

$23.70/hr · $49,290/yr

Entry-level, national avg

Low AI Risk

Install and maintain electrical systems. Physical, skilled, and automation-proof.

15%

AI Risk

10+ yrs

Timeline

Tap to see education & prep →

ELECTRICIAN

🎓 Education Required

4–5 year paid apprenticeship OR 1–2 year vocational/technical school

📋 Requirements

Licensed apprenticeship completion
State electrical licensing exam
OSHA safety certification
Knowledge of National Electrical Code

🌟 What You Can Do Right Now

Take shop or trade classes in high school
Research NJATC apprenticeship programs
Take a summer vocational course
Shadow an electrician on a job site

Graphic Designer

$17.46/hr · $36,310/yr

Entry-level, national avg

High AI Risk

Design visual content for brands. Designers who master AI tools have a strong advantage.

68%

AI Risk

3–5 yrs

Timeline

Tap to see education & prep →

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

🎓 Education Required

2–4 year design degree OR self-taught with strong portfolio

📋 Requirements

Professional design portfolio
Adobe Creative Suite proficiency
Color theory and typography knowledge
AI design tool proficiency (Canva AI, Firefly)

🌟 What You Can Do Right Now

Download Canva (free) and start designing today
Create logos for school clubs or local businesses
Learn color theory on YouTube
Practice with AI image generation tools now

Teacher (K–12)

$21.38/hr · $44,450/yr

Entry-level, national avg

Low AI Risk

Educate and guide students. Teaching is deeply human — AI will assist, not replace, great teachers.

10%

AI Risk

10+ yrs

Timeline

Tap to see education & prep →

TEACHER (K–12)

🎓 Education Required

4-year Education degree + State Teaching Certification

📋 Requirements

Pass state teacher certification exams (Praxis)
Semester-long student teaching internship
Background check and fingerprinting
Ongoing professional development credits

🌟 What You Can Do Right Now

Tutor classmates or younger students now
Volunteer with youth programs or camps
Take AP Education courses if available
Ask your own teachers what they love about the job

🔍 Don’t see your career? Look it up.

Select a career above to see AI impact research here.

No career selected yet

Step 2 — Choose Your City

Cost of Living

Where Do You Want to Live?

Your salary stays the same, but where you live changes everything. Pick your city to see what your money actually buys.

Select Your City

Select a city above, or look one up below, to see cost of living data here.

🔍 Don’t see your city? Look it up.

Choose a city to see your numbers here.

Step 3 — Find Housing

No city selected

Find Your Apartment

Your recommended rent ceiling is —. You can choose anything — your budget will show you the difference.

💡

Utilities included means electricity, water, and trash are covered in your rent. This can save $150–$250/mo compared to paying separately.

Search real listings in your city:

📝 Found your apartment? Enter it here.

Address *

Monthly rent

Bedrooms

Move-in date

Utilities (electricity, water, gas) are included in this rent

Step 4 — Utilities & Bills

Monthly Expenses

Set Up Your Monthly Bills

📋

Don't forget renter's insurance. It costs about $15–$25/mo and protects your belongings. Most landlords require it. Your stuff is worth protecting.

Electricity (est. monthly) Water / Sewer Gas

Set automatically from your city and apartment size on Step 3 — these reflect real typical costs, not a choice to shop around on.

Renter's Insurance *

RUNNING TOTAL — Monthly Bills

Rent (est. ceiling)—

Electricity—

Water/Sewer—

Gas—

Renter's Insurance—

Subtotal—

Take-home monthly—

Remaining—

Step 5 — Phone & Subscriptions

Monthly Extras

Pick Your Plan & Streaming

Cell Phone Plan Internet Streaming Services

Netflix — $15.49/mo Hulu — $7.99/mo Disney+ — $7.99/mo Spotify — $10.99/mo

UPDATED MONTHLY TOTALS

Housing + Utilities—

Cell Phone—

Internet—

Streaming—

Fixed Bills Total—

Take-home—

Left for food, gas, savings—

Step 6 — Pay Your Bills

Bi-Weekly Pay Period

Gross Pay

$2,897

80 hrs · Registered Nurse

Tax Deductions

−$670

Fed · SS · FICA · GA State

Take-Home Pay

$2,227

What hits your account

Remaining Balance

$1,999

$228.50 saved · $0 bills paid

$0$1,114 · 50%$2,227 take-home

🔒 Budget Lock · Payday: —

📬 Your Bills This Period

Drag a card right to pay it

8 unpaid

💚 Add Extra Savings

+$0

Bills Paid This Period 1 of 9 paid

🏦

Mandatory Savings

🔒 Auto-deducted · Goes to your savings account

$228.50 LOCKED

💳

Drag bills here to pay them

Green = affordable · Red = can’t afford it

Take-Home Pay$2,227.10

🔒 Mandatory Savings (auto-deducted)−$228.50

💚 Extra Savings (optional)−$0.00

Total Bills Paid−$0.00

Bills Still Unpaid$1,072.49

Remaining Balance$1,998.60

🏦 Total Savings This Period: $228.50 · Mandatory $100 + any extra you added.

Credit Score Module

Financial Education

Overview

5 Factors

Simulate

No Credit History Yet

300 Poor580 Fair670 Good740 Very Good800+ Excellent

✅

Good debt: Student loans, a mortgage, auto loans paid on time — these build your credit history.

⚠️

Bad debt: Payday loans, maxed credit cards, accounts in collections — these hurt your score fast.

What Happens If I Miss a Payment?

30 days late−60 to −110 pts

60 days late−70 to −120 pts

Collections / Charge-off−100 to −150 pts

Car Purchase Module

Unlocks at Pay Period 6

🔒

Complete at least 6 pay periods before this module unlocks. You're on Pay Period 3. Keep going — 3 more to go.

Find Your First Car

When this unlocks, you'll research real cars on the sites below, enter the price and your credit score, and see how your interest rate changes the total cost.

⚡ Life Event

Pay Period 5

🚨

Your car broke down. The mechanic says it'll cost $850 to fix. You have $699 in your account. What do you do?

Your Options

💀 Option A: Payday Loan

Borrow $200 from QuikCash today. Get your car fixed fast.

🚌 Option B: Use Public Transit

Get a 30-day transit pass ($95) and save up for repairs over 2 pay periods.

💳 Option C: Credit Card

Put the $850 on a credit card at 24.99% APR. Pay it back over 3 months.

📞 Option D: Call for Help

Ask a family member. Potential impact on relationship dynamics.

My Pay Stub

—

Loading your pay stub…

📚

The government takes money before you ever see it. This is called withholding. Your real paycheck is always smaller than your hourly wage × hours. This is why budgeting starts with take-home pay, not gross salary.

📅 Pay Period History

All Periods

Total Earned

No pay periods yet

Total Saved

mandatory + extra

Total Bills Paid

on time every period

Payday Loans

✓ None taken

🏦 My Savings Account

Auto-Save Active

Total Savings Balance

$0.00

No pay periods yet

🔒 Mandatory Savings

$0.00

Auto-deducted each pay period

💚 Extra Savings Added

$0.00

Add more in Step 6 each period

Savings Growth by Period

🎯 Savings Goals

Set a new goal:

📈 What If You Kept Saving?

Once you get your first paycheck, we’ll show you how your savings could grow over time.

📄 Build Your Resume

AI-Assisted

Chat with your AI resume coach to build a real resume you can use — it'll ask you a few questions and fill things in as you go.

📄

Hi! I'm here to help you build your first resume. Say hi to get started, and I'll ask you a few questions along the way.

Resume Preview

Your resume will appear here as we chat.

Teacher Dashboard

Loading…

Confirmed

Pending

Students

My Classes:

📊 Dashboard

👥 My Students

✓ Confirm Schoolwork

💰 Paycheck Release

📋 Progress Reports

🎯 KPI Dashboard

⚙ Settings

Class Dashboard

On Track

1 Step Behind

Needs Attention

Payday Loans

StudentStepSavingsPayday LoansStatus

Schoolwork Confirmation

Confirm which students completed their math assignments this pay period. Your confirmation + parent chore confirmation releases the paycheck on Friday at 5:00 PM.

⏱

Deadline: — Late confirmations delay the student's paycheck by one full week.

StudentAssignment StatusNote (optional)Action

2 of 4 confirmed this period

💰 Paycheck Release

Paychecks release automatically at 5:00 PM on payday when both teacher schoolwork AND parent chore confirmations are complete. You can also release manually for any student.

⚠

Students with incomplete confirmations will not receive a paycheck this period. Their simulation balance carries forward but the missed period is recorded.

StudentTeacherParentAction

📋 Progress Reports

Avg Savings

$542

per student

Avg Credit Score

634

class average

Payday Loans

class total

🎓 Suggested Discussion Topics This Period

● Why does gross pay ≠ take-home pay? — Connect to the pay stub in Step 6. Have students calculate their own deduction percentage.

● The 30% rent rule. — 3 of your 4 students chose housing above their recommended ceiling. Good real-world discussion.

● What is a credit score and why does it start at zero? — Introduce before Step 7.

👥 My Students

Select a class above

🔍

Student NameEmail / Parent EmailGradeAccountStatusActions

📄 Bulk import from a CSV file — Name, Email, Parent Email, Grade

🎯 KPI Impact Dashboard

Baseline vs. 3-Month Assessment

School

Dacula High School

Teacher

Ms. Keisha Johnson

Program Period

Sep 2025 — Dec 2025

Students Enrolled

—

Assessments

Baseline ✓ 3-Month ⏳

Key Outcome Metrics

Financial Knowledge Score — Baseline vs 3-Month

StudentBaseline3-MonthGrowth

Class Average — Pending —

Question-by-Question Class Performance

Behavioral Outcomes (Simulation Data)

📄 Grant Narrative Snippet (auto-generated)

Loading program data...

3-Month Knowledge Check Status

StudentBaseline DateRetake DueStatus

⚙ Class Settings

Teacher Name

Subject

School

Pay Period Calendar

📅 Every class runs the same fixed schedule: 14-day pay periods (Sunday–Saturday), with paychecks issued 13 days after each period closes. This is the same for every class, every year, and isn’t something you configure — it's set up automatically when a class is created.

Additional Class (Optional)

If another teacher in this school uses Rooted as part of a graduation requirement or elective credit, add them here. They will appear as an optional second confirmation on the paycheck.

Additional Teacher Name

Subject / Class

Chore Pay Guidance for Parents

This isn’t a setting you configure — each student’s maximum chore pay is enforced automatically, based on their own real hourly wage.

💡 Every parent's "Chore Pay" screen already caps each chore at that specific student's real hourly wage — computed from their chosen career's salary and the cost of living in their chosen city, the same numbers driving their actual paycheck. A student who hasn't picked a career yet defaults to a flat $15/day cap until they do.

Parent Dashboard

Loading…

Total Savings

0/6

Steps Done

—

Paycheck Status

✓ Confirm Chores

💰 Chore Pay

⭐ Overtime

📊 Progress

💬 Note to Teacher

Chore Confirmation

Check the days your student completed each chore. This — combined with teacher confirmation — releases the paycheck on Friday at 5:00 PM.

📅

Deadline: Thursday 5:00 PM. Chores must be confirmed before Friday payroll runs. Late confirmations delay the paycheck one full week.

Chore

💰 Paycheck Preview

Regular Pay (Mon–Fri)$0.00

Overtime Bonus (Sat–Sun)$0.00

Total Paycheck$0.00

🔒 Teacher confirmation also required before paycheck releases

Set Chore Pay Amounts

Assign a dollar value to each chore. This becomes your student’s bi-weekly paycheck in the simulation. You can update amounts each pay period.

💡

Keep amounts realistic. In the simulation, your student has real bills to pay. Too little and they can’t afford rent. That’s the lesson — real life isn’t adjusted for comfort.

ChorePay Per DayPeriod Total

Total (5-day week) $0.00

💬 Changes take effect next pay period. Current period amounts are locked.

⭐ Overtime Pay

If your student completes all assigned chores on Saturday AND Sunday without being asked, those days count as overtime at 1.5× the regular daily rate.

1.5×

Overtime rate

Daily chore pay

Max OT bonus (2 days)

This Period — Overtime Status

📅 Saturday

Did your student do chores
Saturday without being asked?

Not set

📅 Sunday

Did your student do chores
Sunday without being asked?

Not set

Overtime Bonus This Period $0.00

Your Student’s Progress

Simulation Steps

0 of 6

Currently on: —

Total Savings

$0.00

10% auto-saved each period

Pay Period

—

Next payday: —

Payday Loans

✓ None taken

Credit Score

—

Simulated score

What They’ve Learned So Far

💬 Note to Teacher

Send a note to your student’s teacher about your student’s chores this period, any context about missed days, or anything else relevant to their participation.

To: —

—

Subject

Message

Your Future Starts WithOne Decision at a Time

The conversation that neverhappened at my dinner table.

The numbers don’t lie.

Plans for every learning environment

Built for the Classroom. Growing with Every Student.

Shape What We Build Next

Frequently Asked Questions

Check Your Parent’s Email

Build Your Profile

⏳ Paycheck Status — Pay Period

🏠 Welcome to Your Simulation

Your financial simulation starts now.

Step 1 — Career Selection

Choose Your Career Path

Step 2 — Choose Your City

Where Do You Want to Live?

Step 3 — Find Housing

Find Your Apartment

Step 4 — Utilities & Bills

Set Up Your Monthly Bills

Step 5 — Phone & Subscriptions

Pick Your Plan & Streaming

Step 6 — Pay Your Bills

Credit Score Module

What Happens If I Miss a Payment?

Car Purchase Module

Find Your First Car

⚡ Life Event

Your Options

My Pay Stub

📅 Pay Period History

🏦 My Savings Account

📄 Build Your Resume

Loading…

Class Dashboard

Schoolwork Confirmation

💰 Paycheck Release

📋 Progress Reports

👥 My Students

🎯 KPI Impact Dashboard

⚙ Class Settings

Loading…

Chore Confirmation

Set Chore Pay Amounts

⭐ Overtime Pay

Your Student’s Progress

💬 Note to Teacher

📊 What This Loan Actually Costs

Your Future Starts With
One Decision at a Time

The conversation that never
happened at my dinner table.