The Kalamazoo Promise Building Assets for Community Change

1. The Kalamazoo PromiseBuilding Assets for Community Change Dr. Michelle Miller-Adams Visiting Scholar, W.E. Upjohn Institute Assistant Professor, Grand Valley State University Presentation to the Rotary Club October 26, 2009

2. Organizing Framework: Four Strategic Priorities Economic Development Student Support Urban Vitality Pre K-16 Education

4. The Kalamazoo Promise:Initial Impact on School District • Dramatic increase in enrollment • 17.6% increase since 2005 • Runs counter to state and local trends • Low-income population has risen (62% to 67%) • First new schools built in 37 years • Redistricting & socioeconomic balance • Cultural shift in KPS • 71% increase in Advanced Placement enrollment

5. The Kalamazoo Promise:Initial Impact on Students • Scholarship usage • 1,531 students have received scholarships • 1,103 are currently enrolled • $10.5 million spent as of September 2009 • Ninety percent of recipients attend four schools: • Kalamazoo Valley Community College (38%) • Western Michigan University (29%) • Michigan State University (13%) • University of Michigan (10%) • Persistence rates as of 9/09 • Class of 2006: 83% university, 26% community college • Class of 2007: 84% university, 34% community college • Class of 2008: 84% university, 50% community college

6. 2006200720082009 KPS Graduates 517 579 549 515 Eligible for Promise 409 502 475 455 • % of graduates eligible 79% 87% 87% 88% Used Promise 1st semester 303 359 370 370 post-graduation • % eligible who used Promise 73% 75% 78% 81% 1st semester post-graduation Have Used Promise 339 414 388 370 • % eligible who have used 83% 83% 82% 81% Promise at any time

7. The Kalamazoo Promise:Usage by Race

8. The Kalamazoo Promise:Initial Impact on Social Capital • Expansion of tutoring/mentoring programs • Hours of service provided to students through KCIS almost tripled between 2005 and 2009. • Number of youth served by Big Brothers Big Sisters rose by 77% between 2005 and 2008. • New partnerships among youth-serving groups • Boys and Girls Club / Douglass Community Association • More open discussion of racial & economic inequality & its consequences

9. The Kalamazoo Promise:Initial Economic Impact • 67% of scholarship recipients attend college locally • New residents attracted from outside of region • Alignment of economic development organizations, businesses, and non-profits around vision of an “Education Community” • Job-creation announcements, quality-of-life awards cite education, including the Kalamazoo Promise

10. The Kalamazoo Promise:National Impact • Continued interest in replication • El Dorado Promise, Pittsburgh Promise, San Francisco Promise • Promise Zones – Michigan as a national leader • Public-private partnerships to provide universal, place-based scholarships in ten Michigan communities • Emergence of community of researchers • PromiseNet • Annual conference of communities developing Promise-type programs – Kalamazoo in June 2010

11. The Bottom Line • Universal coverage = tool for community transformation • Scholarship money alone does not lead to cultural, economic, or social transformation • Community engagement and alignment are essential

12. Critical Challenges • Ensure that every student is “college-ready” -- and ready for success in college • Invest in pre-K education • Enlist / engage parents • Create career paths that strengthen local economy • career development, internships, business-school partnerships • Strengthen alignment around broad goals of the Kalamazoo Promise • Communicate, coordinate, cooperate, collaborate

13. A catalyst for community transformation Economic Development Student Support Urban Vitality Pre K-16 Education

14. For additional information:Kalamazoo Promise Research Web Sitehttp://www.upjohninstitute.org/Comments, questions, or suggestions: Michelle Miller-Adams269-385-0436Miller-Adams@upjohninstitute.orghttp://www.michellemilleradams.com