Gavin Newsom praises Trump Accounts and promotes California education investments

California Governor Gavin Newsom has expressed rare support for the Trump Accounts policy, describing it as one of the “really outstanding things” the Trump administration has accomplished. Newsom encouraged families to utilize the accounts, noting that the program aims to provide children with financial resources for college or career training. He highlighted the synergy between these accounts and California’s own CalKIDS program, which has already seen one million children claim accounts.

Separately, Newsom is promoting California’s multi-billion dollar investment in universal transitional kindergarten (TK) and free school meals for four-year-olds. While the Governor claims these initiatives can save families approximately $14,000 annually in childcare and tuition costs, the program costs taxpayers between $3 billion and $4 billion per year. Research regarding the academic efficacy of transitional kindergarten remains mixed, with some studies suggesting social-emotional benefits for English-speaking students but potential negative effects for English Language Learners.