A group of state and local elected officials and education leaders, including State Treasurer Fiona Ma, has kicked off a new statewide outreach campaign aimed at raising awareness for CalKIDS, California’s postsecondary education savings program.

The California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program, or CalKIDS, was started with a $2 billion investment from the State of California and aims to close the gap on post-secondary education inequality by automatically funding savings accounts for every California child. Money in a CalKIDS account can be used for postsecondary educational purposes, including college, trade schools, and career training.

Studies have shown that children and families with even small savings set aside for college are three times more likely to enroll in college, and four times more likely to graduate, versus children with no savings at all.

Since its launch in 2022, more than 225,000 children have claimed up to $1,500 each in a CalKIDS account funded by the State of California. While this is a significant accomplishment, CalKIDS estimates that there are approximately four million eligible children in California, with more than three million children and their families leaving money unclaimed.

The statewide outreach campaign will target these children through CalKIDS events and activities; partnerships with elected officials, schools, and education leaders; and renewed marketing efforts from CalKIDS and their partners.

For example, the Rosa Parks K-8 School, part of the Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD), represents the need for a renewed outreach and awareness campaign, simultaneously showcasing the promise of CalKIDS and the opportunity for parents and families.

SCUSD has 28,715 eligible students with unclaimed CalKIDS accounts, holding more than $14 million. Rosa Parks K-8 School has 649 eligible current and former students. Only 24 have claimed their accounts.

All California parents and families are encouraged to visit CalKIDS.org to learn more about the program, check eligibility, and claim their accounts.