Eureka CA – The Humboldt County Office of Education is excited to announce a hybrid in-person and Zoom “Town Hall” meeting for families on February 7 at the Sequoia Conference Center at 901 Myrtle Avenue in Eureka, CA. The meeting will take place from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. and will feature representatives from the Humboldt County Office of Education, Cal Poly Humboldt, College of the Redwoods, and California State Treasurer Fiona Ma and staff from her office, who will be on hand to answer questions and provide information on the California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS). Spanish language services will be available at the meeting.
The State of California has recently launched CalKIDS, which aims to make college more accessible for millions of children in the state. Automatically, every eligible low-income public-school student in grades 1-12 in California will have a CalKIDS account created in their name with an initial seed deposit ranging from $500 to $1,500. The program is administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, a California state agency that oversees the State’s official 529 college savings plan and is chaired by Treasurer Ma.
Participants are encouraged to pre-register for the event at its registration page on the HCOE website. Refreshments will be served to those who attend. The program eligibility for CalKIDS can be determined through links that will be shared at the meeting, and the representatives will assist families in determining their child’s eligibility. It’s estimated that over 9,000 children could be eligible for the program in Humboldt County.
“We are excited to partner with CalKIDS in informing our community about this wonderful opportunity,” said Humboldt County Superintendent of Schools, Michael Davies-Hughes. “We believe that every child in California should have better access to higher education. The CalKIDS program helps make that vision possible by providing families with the starting point to build a child’s college savings fund.”
Treasurer, Fiona Ma, who will be attending the event in person said, “CalKIDS is transforming college and career opportunities in California by demonstrating to every student that they are worth our investment,” said Treasurer Ma. “I’m thrilled to join Superintendent Michael Davies-Hughes and the Humboldt County Office of Education to inform students and their families, educators and communities about CalKIDS resources so we can make higher education dreams a reality for all students.”
CalKIDS is the largest children’s savings account (CSA) program in the nation, serving an estimated 3.4 million low-income public-school students currently in the State of California. Over time, funds in a CalKIDS account can grow tax-free and be used for future higher education expenses, such as tuition, books, and computers. When the student is ready to use their savings to pay for any qualified higher education expense, they can easily redeem their funds, including any earnings, from their CalKIDS account.
Money provided through the CalKIDS program can be used at eligible education institutions, including four-year colleges and universities, community colleges, technical schools, or accredited institutions. CalKIDS participants and their families can also establish and contribute to individual ScholarShare 529 accounts, where they can contribute and start saving early.
To learn more about the program, visit CalKIDS.org. We strongly encourage all families to pre-register for the event and take advantage of this opportunity to learn how to ensure that their children have access to higher education.