CalKIDS is administered by ScholarShare 529, California\u2019s state-sponsored college savings program<\/a>, which oversees education investment accounts on behalf of students and families statewide. Through ScholarShare\u2019s investment board, the program manages and distributes funds seeded by the state for eligible youth.<\/p>\n \u201cResearch indicates that children who have some money, even if it\u2019s minimal amounts of money, set aside for college, are three times more likely to go to college and four times more likely to complete it,\u201d said Cassandra DiBenedetto, executive director of ScholarShare\u2019s investment board. This is consistent with broader research, such as a 2024 report<\/a> by the University of Michigan.<\/p>\n DiBenedetto said money in a CalKIDS account can be used by students to cover tuition costs for college, apprenticeships and trade schools, as well as for purchasing books, devices and other academic supplies.<\/p>\n That flexibility shaped a recent promotion, conducted in partnership with Audacy radio stations, designed to encourage families to claim their student\u2019s 529 accounts: Those who did so were entered into the statewide laptop giveaway. DiBenedetto said CalKIDS awarded eight families with Chromebooks via a random drawing, distributing two laptops each in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento.<\/p>\n \u201cThe laptop is kind of your cornerstone of technology,\u201d she said. \u201cA tablet has limitations. It\u2019s just a more tangible thing. It\u2019s a keyboard, it\u2019s a laptop. It\u2019s a little sturdier. \u2026 We wanted to ensure that we were giving a piece of technology away that was super functional, easy to use, easy to understand, didn\u2019t require loads of downloading apps and those sorts of things.\u201d<\/p>\n According to DiBenedetto, the response from families underscored how critical that access can be. She described how, for a family, a laptop is much more than a convenience \u2014 it can be a vehicle for parents to apply to jobs, for students to complete schoolwork and engage in exploratory learning, and for families to feel like online information is simply more accessible.<\/p>\n While other states have education savings or child investment accounts<\/a>, DiBenedetto said California\u2019s model differs from similar programs in other states by directly linking education savings to student needs, including technology.<\/p>\n \u201cThe path to higher education starts with access,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd when families receive tools like laptops, it becomes easier to take that first step.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking ahead, DiBenedetto said the agency is assessing future partnerships that could support similar initiatives, while continuing to focus on increasing awareness and participation in CalKIDS.<\/p>\n \u201cOur hope is also that we continue to scale acceptance of CalKIDS,\u201d she said. \u201cThe more we talk about it and the more we get it out there \u2026 that will also be part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n The CalKIDS model contributes to a broader national discussion<\/a> about how education savings programs can support long-term postsecondary planning in addition to addressing immediate barriers like technology access. The effectiveness of programs like CalKIDS, DiBenedetto said, depends on intentional implementation.<\/p>\n \u201cMake sure that the communities that you\u2019re leaning into have the need and the acceptance of the product that you\u2019re gonna use,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
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