Rather than focus on deficits within our student and family populations (like parenting skills, addiction, and unemployment), Advancing Modoc Youth began to imagine a county where all families had their basic needs met, and kids were able to learn and save for college. If education became a shared value and all families were armed with basic financial literacy, if our students attended school regularly and had savings accounts they would have a vehicle enabling them to invest in their educational futures early on. Our young people are our future- and our community should invest in them as well to improve and sustain our own future. In the long term- having a savings account makes college more plausible, and once in college- the opportunities to make a living wage become more feasible.
The Child Savings Account Grant Program was enacted in the 2019-20 CA State Budget to support local governments and nonprofit organizations that sponsor or collaborate on one or more comprehensive citywide or regional child savings account programs. Our initial goal was to apply for the one-time General Fund dollars (minimum of $100,000). We would seek community partners to match funds and develop a rewards-based initiative tied to a financial literacy curriculum for young children and the adults in their families. Pacific Crest Credit Union agreed to partner with us if the grant was received.…then COVID-19…the grant program was delayed, but we kept tabs of the progress and in November Advancing Modoc Youth‘s coordinator Tanja Ramming applied for $275,000. That amount would cover the initial seed money and transition the program to 100% local funding in 5 years. Advancing Modoc Youth was selected! Tanja will be presenting to Modoc County School Administrators next and work with Pacific Crest Union to establish the first round of accounts for every Modoc County public school Kindergartener in Spring 2021.
Advancing Modoc Youth
Child Savings Account Project
Little Tykes: Kindergarten Readiness and CSA
Nicole Hinton, Modoc County First 5
Carol Madison, Executive Director of TEACH
De Funk, Director of State Preschools- MCOE
Aimie Martinez, Alturas Elementary Pre-School Teacher
Timmarie Blankenship, Early Intervention Teacher- SELPA/MCOE
Recruiting: Kindergarten teachers, CalWorks staff member and a tribal TANF representative
