1 / 15

The Kalamazoo Promise at Five: Progress and Challenges

The Kalamazoo Promise at Five: Progress and Challenges. Dr. Michelle Miller-Adams Visiting Scholar, W.E. Upjohn Institute Associate Professor, Grand Valley State University Presentation to Kiwanis Club of Kalamazoo May 18, 2011. The Kalamazoo Promise.

gerry
Download Presentation

The Kalamazoo Promise at Five: Progress and Challenges

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Kalamazoo Promise at Five:Progress and Challenges Dr. Michelle Miller-Adams Visiting Scholar, W.E. Upjohn Institute Associate Professor, Grand Valley State University Presentation to Kiwanis Club of Kalamazoo May 18, 2011

  2. The Kalamazoo Promise • Announced November 2005, to continue in perpetuity • Funded by anonymous private donors • Place-based: Kalamazoo Public Schools • Covers 65-100% of tuition and fees at any in-state, public post-secondary institution for KPS graduates • Universal: every graduate is eligible • Minimum 4-year residency & enrollment • Blending of educational and economic goals • 10 years in which to use funding

  3. Why is the Kalamazoo Promise a uniquely effective tool for community transformation? • Universality • Anonymity • Perpetuity

  4. Scholarship program serves as a catalyst • Changes incentives for many types of actors • Teachers, parents, business, residents, realtors, other districts, etc. • Leads to creation and/or growth of human, social, and economic capital for individuals, the city, and the region... ... IF the community is aligned. “There’s the money, and then there’s everything else.” Dr. Janice Brown, Kalamazoo Promise

  5. Initial Impact – Enrollment & Resources • Reversal of long-term enrollment decline • 20% enrollment growth since 2005 • Increased entry rates and decreased exit rates • Stabilization of ethnic/racial distribution • Low-income population has risen: 62% to 69% • Increased resources for school district • Per-pupil funding structure • Support for bond issues (regionally) • Construction of new schools (first in 4 decades) • Redistricting for better socioeconomic balance • Elementary schools range from 35-97% low-income

  6. 25-Year KPS Enrollment Trend

  7. Initial Impact – College-Going Culture • Emphasis on college readiness (K-12) • Increased Advanced Placement enrollment (2007-10) • # of AP courses taken: + 174% • # of students enrolled + 130% • Economically disadvantaged -- 63 to 259 students • African-American -- 53 to 211 students • Hispanic -- 8 to 68 students • Three years of rising test scores • Improved community perceptions

  8. Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship Use • In first five years of program: • 2,000 students received scholarships (84% of those eligible) • 1,100 are currently enrolled • $25 million paid out in scholarship funds • Most recipients (85%) attend four schools: • Kalamazoo Valley Community College (30%) • Western Michigan University (31%) • Michigan State University (14%) • University of Michigan (10%) • Positive outcomes vary across type of institution • Students at four-year institutions: 85% • Students at two-year institutions: 47%

  9. The Challenge of Ensuring Student Success • Use of Kalamazoo Promise by race closely matches demographics of eligibility for the program. • Use of Kalamazoo Promise by low-income students closely matches demographics of school district. However… • Low-income students are more likely to attend 2-year rather than 4-year institutions. • Low-income students are more likely to struggle once in college.

  10. Economic Impact • Economic impact has been constrained by weak state and regional economy • Housing market, population growth, etc. • Indirect economic benefits • New students and families moving to district • New financial resources for school district(s) • Local use of scholarships • School construction activity • Higher national profile (awards, media coverage, etc.) • Alignment of organizations around education as engine of economic development

  11. Key Lesson of Research • Kalamazoo Promise holds potential to transform community and region. • Scholarship alone is not enough. • Community engagement is essential • Ensure that every student is “college-ready” • Connect education and workforce systems • Move beyond KPS to regional focus on education (e.g., KACAN)

  12. State and National Impact • Annual PromiseNet conferences, 2008-2011 • 200 participants from 20+ states • PromiseNet 2011, Pittsburgh, October 19-21 • Creation of Promise-type programs • El Dorado (AK), Pittsburgh, Denver, and 20+ others • Michigan Promise Zones in 10 low-income communities • Concerns about universality

  13. For additional information:Kalamazoo Promise Research Web Sitehttp://www.upjohninstitute.orgComments, questions, or ideas are most welcome!Michelle Miller-Adams269-385-0436miller-adams@upjohn.orghttp://michellemilleradams.comhttp://thepromiseofkalamazoo.com

More Related