CalKIDS

CalKIDS (California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program)

Website: www.calkids.org

• CalKIDS is California’s statewide children’s savings account program, administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board. It is the nation’s largest state-run CSA program, automatically opening scholarship accounts for eligible California children with an initial seed deposit.

Who Is Eligible?

• Confirm your eligibility here! There are two groups of children eligible for CalKIDS:
• Newborns: All children born in California on or after July 1, 2022 are eligible for a CalKIDS Scholarship Account. Please wait up to 90 days after your child’s birth for the account to be created.
• Public school students: Students who were enrolled in grades 1–12 during the 2021–2022 school year, or students enrolled in 1st grade during the 2022–2023 school year and each year thereafter. To qualify, the child must have been enrolled on Fall Census Day (October) and identified as an English Learner or low-income by the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), with data reported to the California Department of Education.

How Are Funds Used?

• CalKIDS money can be used at eligible higher education institutions across the country, including community colleges, universities, vocational schools, and professional schools. Funds cannot be added directly into a CalKIDS account — to grow the fund, families are encouraged to also open a ScholarShare 529 account and link it to CalKIDS.

What You Need to Claim an Account - School age

• Statewide Student Identifier (SSID) or CalKIDS Code from a letter received from the California Office of the Treasurer
• Child’s date of birth
• County where the child goes to school 

What You Need to Claim an Account - Newborn

• Birth Certificate Local Registration Number (LRN) or CalKIDS Code from a letter received from the California Office of the Treasurer
• Child’s date of birth
• County where the child was born