New Research Shows K2C Increases College Enrollment

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Research Summary

Full Research Findings

San Francisco’s Kindergarten to College program (K2C) is the first universal, automatic Child Savings Account program in the country. Founded in 2011 by Mayor Gavin Newsom (now Governor) and Treasurer José Cisneros, K2C automatically opens a savings account seeded with $50 in public funds for every child entering kindergarten in SF’s public schools, putting students on a path to college from their first day of school.

54,000+

SFUSD TOTAL ACCOUNTS

$1,055

AVERAGE ACCOUNT BALANCE (SAVERS)

$17 MILLION

TOTAL SAVINGS



                            Updated May 2024

A Future Worth Saving For

Savings for future education—even small amounts—can improve the odds that students will attend and complete college or vocational school. Low-to-moderate-income children with savings set aside for future education are more likely to enroll in and graduate from college than those without an account. Learn more

First Graduating Class - 2023

Approximately 600 graduating seniors were in the inaugural K2C cohort as kindergarteners. Students who’ve had their accounts since kindergarten and have saved in their K2C accounts have an average balance of $1,422 – 28x the City’s initial deposit. 

 

 

What People are Saying

Thailyah Miller
"K2C has contributed to this moment in my life now. Through K2C, I have learned to save money for college and invest in my future. My career goal is to be a community advocate for Black and Brown people in San Francisco, especially the medical aspect of it."
 
— Thailyah Miller, Class of 2023
Treasurer Cisneros
“We started K2C so that every student in our public schools would know that they have a future worth saving for. More important than the money itself, millions in savings represents millions of conversations our families are having with their children about going to college."
 
—San Francisco Treasurer José Cisneros
Kloe Sierra Helmuth
“Saving money is important because it will help to pay for my college education. College is very expensive. I have been saving for college since I was a baby.”

—Kloe Sierra Helmuth, Class of 2029
Saw Yunn
"K2C made me feel that college is possible. The program has also provided me with relief about going to college because of the savings I've accumulated with K2C over the years. I'm really excited about going to college and exploring my future career path."

—Saw Yunn, Class of 2023
Mayor Breed
“Efforts like this have helped public school students pave their way for college by having their own saving accounts and anticipating financial needs for higher education. I want to thank Governor Newsom for launching this program when he was Mayor, and Treasurer Cisneros for keeping it going strong.”
 
—San Francisco Mayor London Breed
Se Forde
“Saving at an early age will help my money grow overtime. Once in college, the money that I have saved up will relieve me of being in a pool of debt.”

—Se Forde, Class of 2027
Yadira Vazquez
"The K2C program to me means opportunity and just reliance on the fact that I have money saved up to go to college. And it means hope for me that I'm able to go to college and I'm very proud of that."

—Yadira Vazquez, Class of 2023
Gov Newsom
“College savings accounts are transformational opportunities for millions of kids to be successful in college, the program we created here in San Francisco has invested millions in thousands of kids’ futures.” 
 
—Governor of California Gavin Newsom
Tierra Ferrand
"Saving for college is one of the best parts about K2C..because it's a way for you to feel like you're becoming more independent for your future education. I am excited for the future, especially college and feel like it would be a fresh start for me."

—Tierra Ferrand, Class of 2023
Ana Cass Reyes
“As the K2C Ambassador for Everett, I’m looking forward to helping our families take advantage of the program and it’s incentives. I’m so happy to help improve the odds for our students to set themselves on a path to college.”
 
—Ana Cass Reyes, K2C School Ambassador at Everett Middle School
Sophia Truong
“I understand that college costs a pretty penny and that I need to save up young to afford to attend. I have already been saving since I was five years old and will continue to do so to achieve my dreams.”

—Sophia Truong, Class of 2026
Crystal Tan
“Since college is so expensive, saving now can help reduce my college debt in the future. Not only that but saving can also allow me to choose colleges that are more expensive.”

—Crystal Tan, Class of 2026
Imelee Morales Picture
“Saving money now will help me because one of the major obstacles for first-generation college students is financial security as they apply for college. With some financial support thanks to K2C, I will be able to apply for college without worrying about whether I can afford to go.”
 
—Imielee Morales, Class of 2026

What's New

New research shows K2C significantly boosts college enrollment and on-time high school graduation, particularly for underrepresented students. 

K2C Research Summary

 

Saving for College? How to Make the Most of Your Investment | KQED (2024)

SF Narrowed College Enrollment Gap by Giving Kindergarteners $50 in Savings, Study Finds | KQED (2024)

Savings program pledges at least $13,000 for students — if they graduate - The Washington Post (2024)

How Children’s Savings Accounts Can Help Narrow the Racial Wealth Divide - National League of Cities (nlc.org)  (2024)

San Francisco K2C savings program: First cohort of kids goes to college (cnbc.com) (2023)

Can $50 Really Put A Student On The Road To College? - Forbes (2023)

600 Kindergartners Were Given Bank Accounts. Here’s What They Learned. - WSJ (2023)

SF's K2C program helps students go to college and learn about money (2023)

San Francisco's Graduating Class of Kindergarten to College (2023)

S.F. put cash in kindergarteners’ college savings accounts 13 years ago. Did it pay off? (2023)

Some States Open College Savings Accounts for Every Newborn | The Pew Charitable Trusts (pewtrusts.org) (2022)

Governor Newsom Highlights Universal College Savings Program at Celebration of $11 Millionth Deposit for Kindergarten to College Program in San Francisco | California Governor (2022)

San Francisco public school kids get $11 million in college savings, more to come for California students – Times-Herald (2022)

Newsom highlights universal college savings program (losangelesblade.com) (2022)

College savings plan that starts in Kindergarten taking off across USA (usatoday.com) (2022)

529 Savings Plan: Why Every Penny Counts - The New York Times (nytimes.com) (2021)

K2C Anniversary Celebrations

Press Conference with Treasurer Cisneros, Governor Newsom, California Treasurer Fiona Ma, and Mayor Breed. The Mayor declared April 26th as K2C Day!

Treasurer Cisneros' press release celebrating K2C reaching $11 million dollars in savings.

Governor Newsom's press release celebrating the success of K2C

San Francisco gives kindergartners free money for college. Could it work statewide? - CalMatters (2020)

Newsom wants to expand programs that open a savings account for every kid (sfchronicle.com) (2019)

Citibank wants to help open college savings accounts for every kid in the U.S. | DeviceDaily.com (2019)

PBS Newshour clip (2019)

College Savings Accounts Are Popular But Missing Their Marks (governing.com) (2017)

San Francisco’s K2C: saving for college in kindergarten | Centre For Public Impact (CPI) (2016)

A Foot in the Door (video, 2016)

San Francisco program sets up college savings accounts for kindergartners - ABC7 San Francisco (abc7news.com) (2014)

S.F. 1st U.S. city to start college savings plan (sfgate.com) (2010

Research on college savings fuels interest in Child Development Accounts in San Francisco | Center for Social Development | Washington University in St. Louis (wustl.edu) (2010)

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