KERN COUNTY, CA . — CalKIDS is launching the first CalKIDS Scholarship Month this September, partnering with county offices of education and school districts across California. This statewide effort will bring scholarship claiming support directly to school communities, making it easier for eligible students to take action and claim their CalKIDS Scholarship Accounts.
In Kern County, more than $80 million in CalKIDS Scholarships is available to eligible public-school students, and approximately 75% of public-school students in grades 2-12 are eligible for a scholarship worth up to $1,500.
“CalKIDS Scholarship Month is about meeting students where they are and making it easier for them to access resources that can help support their education after high school,” said California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, CPA. “By bringing CalKIDS directly onto school campuses throughout California, we can help more students take this important step and claim their scholarship funds.”
Throughout the month, participating school districts and campuses will host designated CalKIDS Scholarship claiming events where students and families can check eligibility and claim their scholarships on-site.
For students in grades 9-12, schools have an additional tool to support these efforts. Through a data-sharing agreement between CalKIDS and the California Student Aid Commission, CalKIDS Scholarship information is available to high school administrators through WebGrants for Institutions, the state’s financial aid platform. Schools can use this information to identify students with CalKIDS Scholarships and connect them directly with on-campus claiming opportunities throughout September and beyond.
“With September as CalKIDS claim month, we have an incredible opportunity to help families discover resources that can expand their students’ futures,” said Dr. Loretta Whitson, Executive Director of the California Association of School Counselors. “The CalKIDS Program gives school counselors another meaningful way to connect families with opportunities for college and career education. By starting these conversations early, we can help more students see that
higher education and career training are within reach and that investing in their future can begin today.”
In addition to school-based claiming events, students and families can check eligibility and claim a CalKIDS Scholarship online at any time, taking an important step toward preparing for the future. Checking eligibility and claiming a CalKIDS Scholarship takes just a few minutes: 1. Visit CalKIDS.org and select “Confirm Eligibility.”
2. Enter the student’s 10-digit Statewide Student Identifier, or SSID. The number may be available on a report card, transcript or school portal, or families can request it from the student’s school or counselor.
3. If eligible, follow the prompts to claim the student’s CalKIDS Scholarship Account.
CalKIDS Scholarships can be used for qualified educational expenses, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, computer equipment and other eligible costs at accredited colleges, universities, career training programs and vocational schools nationwide.
“CalKIDS helped me a lot and made me feel less stressed with going to college, one less thing to worry about and I’m going to stick with CalKIDS everyday,” shared Diego Virgen, a CalKIDS recipient and student from Bakersfield College.
CalKIDS is supporting county offices of education and school districts with localized scholarship data, ready-to-use communications materials, outreach tools and training resources to help expand claiming efforts during CalKIDS Scholarship Month and beyond.
Launched in 2022 and administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, CalKIDS has invested more than $2.4 billion in scholarships for more than 6 million California children and students to help support their pursuit of college, career training and other postsecondary education opportunities.
Families can learn more about CalKIDS, check their student’s eligibility and claim an available scholarship at CalKIDS.org.
Listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern.
