Skip to main content

Monterey County Students Urged to Claim $27 Million in Available CalKIDS Scholarships Before FAFSA Deadline

 

Monterey, CA – As the March 2 priority financial aid deadline approaches, Monterey County high school seniors completing the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) are encouraged to check whether they have a CalKIDS Scholarship that can help pay for college or career training.

In Monterey County, more than $27 million in CalKIDS Scholarship funds are available to support students pursuing higher education. The scholarship is easy to claim and doesn’t require essay submissions, recommendation letters, or a minimum GPA.

CalKIDS is the nation’s largest child development account program, providing scholarships of up to $1,500 for eligible California public school students. Funded by the State of California and administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, chaired by State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA, CalKIDS helps reduce financial barriers as students plan for college or career training.

“CalKIDS was created to support students at moments when financial decisions can feel overwhelming,” said State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA. “Having scholarship support already in place can empower students and families to make confident financial choices as they plan for college or career training.”

Statewide, more than 60% of public school students in grades 2–12 are eligible to claim a CalKIDS Scholarship worth up to $1,500. Some college-age students may also have a CalKIDS Scholarship available. The scholarship can be used for qualified higher education expenses, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, and computer equipment.

Claiming a CalKIDS Scholarship is simple and can be completed online. Students or families only need the student’s Statewide Student Identifier (SSID), which can be found by contacting the student’s school or by visiting CaliforniaColleges.edu. Once they have the SSID, students can visit CalKIDS.org to check eligibility and claim their scholarship account.

Edgar Javier, a student from Hartnell College shared, "[CalKIDS] helped me out tremendously when it comes to helping me pay bills or expenses." 

To expand access and awareness, schools across California are required to share CalKIDS information with students who submit the FAFSA or CADAA. Through a partnership with the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), students who also apply for state financial aid can now view their CalKIDS eligibility through CSAC’s WebGrants 4 Students portal.

“We are grateful to CalKIDS for this partnership. Together, we can help make college affordable for many more Californians.” said Dr. Daisy Gonzales, Executive Director of the California Student Aid Commission. “Utilizing the power of data sharing across state agencies, we can close information siloes…We are the partner that can connect students and families with CalKIDS, and CalKIDS is the missing link when we seek to promote educational equity in our state.”

With support from state agencies, community partners, and schools, more students are checking eligibility and claiming their accounts. Statewide, more than $50 million in CalKIDS Scholarship funds have already been used at colleges and universities, demonstrating how the program can make a real difference in students’ educational journeys.

For eligibility details and to claim a CalKIDS Scholarship Account, visit CalKIDS.org.

###

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, CPA, 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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fatal 3 Vehicle Accident Involving Wrong Way Driver on Highway 101 Outside of King City on January 10

  A fatal multi-vehicle collision happened on Saturday night, January 10 at 9:51 p.m. on northbound Highway 101 outside of King City. According to the King City CHP a 2016 Toyota Tacoma driven by 65-year-old Paul Lee Cooper of Otis, Oregon was heading the wrong way going southbound in the northbound lanes south of Jolon Road, while a 2006 Toyota Corolla driven by 33-year-old Dinora Maribel Gomez of Salinas was heading northbound on Highway 101 south of Jolon Road in the #1 lane and a Honda Accord driven by 36-year-old Ignacio Sangerman of King City was also traveling northbound on Highway 101 south of Jolon Road but was in the #2 lane. Due to Cooper's level of impairment his vehicle went the wrong way on Highway 101 going directly into the path of Gomez' vehicle causing the rear of her car to crash with the front of the vehicle driven by Sangerman. Cooper was arrested, sustaining major injuries and was transported to Natividad Medical Center in Salinas where as of January 12 is...
Post a Comment
Read more

Monterey County DA Releases Preliminary Information Concerning an Officer Involved Shooting Incident that Occurred Outside of Soledad on December 16

  SALINAS, California- Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni on December 19 released preliminary information concerning the officer involved shooting (OIS) which occurred at about 1:20 a.m. outside the city of Soledad on December 16, 2025. Just before 1:00 a.m., Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputy Carlos Pina, who has been a peace officer for 10 years all with MCSO, and Deputy Blain Councilman, each in separate patrol cars, were dispatched to 32097 McCoy Road. A resident at the farm labor camp reported a suspicious individual with a handgun whose white Honda 4 door sedan was parked in space 18 at the complex. Before parking there, the suspect drove around and around, stopped in front of the reporting party’s (RP’s) truck, and got out. The RP could hear music. Deputy Pina drove the lead patrol car and arrived just after 1:20 a.m. His dashcam video, which does not record sound but which he installed on his own and at his own expense, depicts the following: He drove down ...
Post a Comment
Read more

King City City Council Announces Selection of José Arreola as New City Manager

  January 7, 2025-Following an extensive recruitment process, José Arreola has been selected by the King City City Council to be its next City Manager. Arreola will replace Steve Adams, who is retiring after serving in the position for the past 10 years. Arreola was selected from 31 applicants and 8 finalists for the position. The King City City Council will formally consider the proposed city manager contract at its meeting on Tuesday night, January 13. Arreola's first day on the job is scheduled to be February 23.    José Arreola has a distinguished career of serving the community with a particular commitment to youth. He has worked for the City of Salinas for 12 years as their Community Safety Program Manager, Community Safety Administrator and Assistant to the City Manager. Among other responsibilities, Arreola has led several programs to eliminate gang violence which aligns well with the City of King’s efforts and priorities. Prior to that, Arreola worked as an Educa...
Post a Comment
Read more