Riverside Schools Become Statewide Model for Connecting Students with CalKIDS Scholarships

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) is emerging as a statewide model for helping families access CalKIDS Scholarships by combining financial literacy education with coordinated outreach across school communities that connects students with scholarships worth up to $1,500 for higher education.

The CalKIDS Program represents a $2.2 billion state investment in children’s futures, providing scholarships for college and career training. The program is administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board and chaired by State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA.

Under RCOE’s leadership, educators are conducting targeted outreach, embedding financial literacy and CalKIDS into everyday school engagement to increase awareness and drive scholarship claims. This approach has led to five schools in Riverside County achieving a 100% CalKIDS Scholarship claim rate, including Lasselle Elementary, West Riverside Elementary, Myra Lynn Elementary, Good Hope Elementary, and San Jacinto Leadership Academy.

In Riverside County, more than $178 million in CalKIDS Scholarships have been designated for more than 340,000 public school students. So far, approximately 34% of students have claimed their scholarships, including more than 54% of students in grades 9–12, unlocking more than $60 million to support future college or career training.

“California created CalKIDS because we know that when students believe higher education is within reach, they are more likely to pursue it,” said State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA. “As we continue to align CalKIDS with broader outreach and financial aid efforts, including FAFSA and the California Dream Act Application, we are creating more opportunities for students to access and claim their CalKIDS Scholarships. Strong partnerships build on these efforts. RCOE has become a model for district initiatives and school-site outreach, showing how coordinated engagement helps students and families take action and claim their scholarships.”

The model was on full display on Friday, March 13, during visits in Riverside County at Good Hope Elementary School in the Perris Elementary School District and Butterfield Language Academy in the Moreno Valley Unified School District, where state leaders, educators, students, and families observed how CalKIDS is integrated into financial literacy lessons.

At Good Hope, the campus was recognized for achieving a 100% CalKIDS Scholarship claim rate, serving as one example of the progress being made across Riverside County. A student, parent and teacher panel highlighted how early conversations about college savings and career pathways are helping students and families plan for the future.

“When I found out I had a [CalKIDS Scholarship], I was relieved because my parents don’t have to work extra for me to go to college,” said Rachel, a sixth-grade student at Good Hope Elementary School and CalKIDS recipient.

At Butterfield Language Academy, five classrooms of second and third grade students participated in financial literacy lessons and claimed more than $60,000 in CalKIDS Scholarships, many learning for the first time that they had funds set aside for their future education.

Education leaders say the county’s approach relies on trusted messengers across school communities, including teachers, counselors and school support staff, to ensure families understand the opportunity and take action.

“In Riverside County, we launched the Financial Literacy Initiative in 2020 because we believe that knowing how to manage money can be the great equalizer in our society,” said Dr. Edwin Gomez, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools. “The CalKIDS program is a powerful tool for shaping the future of students, families and local economies. We are proud to showcase how Riverside County is leading the state in connecting every eligible student with this life-changing opportunity.”

Cassandra DiBenedetto, Executive Director of the ScholarShare Investment Board, who visited the school sites, said Riverside County’s approach demonstrates how schools can expand access to education and savings opportunities.

“CalKIDS was designed to ensure our most vulnerable students have access to funding to make higher education possible, but awareness and access are critical,” DiBenedetto said. “We are proud of the outreach model Riverside County has established to connect students and families with CalKIDS Scholarships. We invite other counties and school districts to adopt this approach and are ready to support them to ensure more students learn CalKIDS and claim their scholarships.”

RCOE will host a similar event in April 2026 to expand this outreach model and support more schools in increasing CalKIDS Scholarship claims. Schools and partners interested in participating or learning more can sign up here: https://forms.rcoe.us/Contact-Us.

Students and families can visit CalKIDS.org to check eligibility and claim a scholarship, while schools and community partners can access outreach materials and resources through the CalKIDS Marketing Toolkit.

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About CalKIDS: The California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS) is the nation’s largest child development account program, providing scholarships for higher education. Administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, and Chaired by State Treasurer Fiona Ma, the program is designed to promote the pursuit of higher education statewide by empowering families to build assets, nurture savings habits, and raise their educational aspirations. Eligible public school students can receive CalKIDS Scholarships worth up to $1,500 and every child born in California on or after July 1, 2022, is awarded a CalKIDS Scholarship worth up to $175, ensuring more families have the resources needed to support their children’s education. To learn more, visit CalKIDS.org.