Kindergarten cash? County executive Ed FitzGerald wants to start kindergartners with $100 savings

CLEVELAND - A top government official in northeastern Ohio's Cuyahoga County says he wants to start off every kindergartner with a $100 college savings account.

Ed FitzGerald, executive for the county that includes Cleveland and suburbs, tells The Plain Dealer he thinks the move will create a "culture of college attendance" for children and their parents.

The effort -- which would kick off next fall with about 15,000 children -- would fulfill the county charter's mandate that county leaders establish a postsecondary scholarship program. FitzGerald said he wants to create an incentive program for all county children instead of a traditional scholarship.

According to research, children who have designated some savings for school are nearly four times more likely to attend a four-year college than those with no account.