The Kalamazoo Promise: Building Assets for Community Change Michelle Miller-Adams, Research Fellow W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research March 2014

What is the Kalamazoo Promise? Announced November 2005, to continue in perpetuity Funded by anonymous private donors First-dollar program (before other financial aid) Place-based: Kalamazoo Public Schools – Covers 65 – 100% of tuition and fees at any in-state, public post-secondary institution for KPS graduates – Minimum 4-year residency and enrollment requirement Universal: every graduate is eligible – Students have 10 years in which to use funding 1

What makes Promise programs potential tools for community transformation? 2 Promise programs seek to change the culture of a community, not simply award scholarships. They are: Place-based – focus on a geographically boundedcommunity Universal or near-universal – everyone has astake; broad buy-in throughout the community Long-term – allow time for people to makechoices based on the program’s benefits

The Promise movement takes off... 3 Since the Kalamazoo Promise was announced, more than 35 communities have created Promise programs, with others in the planning stage. Annual PromiseNet conferences draw representatives from 50+ communities. Promise programs exist in all parts of the United States, in communities of varying sizes and types.

Promise Scholarship Programs (as of 2013) Kalamazoo Promise College Bound Denver Scholarship Foundation El Dorado Promise Pittsburgh Promise Peoria Promise Bay Commitment Baldwin Promise Syracuse Say Yes to Education Garrett County New Haven Promise Arkadelphia Promise Great River Promise Sparkman Promise Benton Harbor Promise Pontiac Promise Leopard Challenge Northport Promise San Francisco Promise Ventura Promise Promise for the Future Hopkinsville Rotary Scholars LaCrosse Promise Saginaw Promise Lansing Promise Pensacola Pledge Scholars Detroit Scholarship Jackson Legacy

Promise programs are not all alike... 5 Models vary by: – Student eligibility Universal (all graduates eligible) or minimum GPA (usually 2.5) and/or attendance requirement – Eligible post-secondary institutions Local, in-state public, or any institution (with tuition cap) 2-year only, 4-year included Public or private (with tuition cap) – Level of student support services provided Investment in Future Centers in high schools – Funding Private (businesses, individuals); philanthropic; public (tax resources)

How Promise programs work 6 Scholarship program serves as a catalyst Changes incentives for many types of actors – Students, teachers, parents, businesses, residents, realtors, other school 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

Potential Outcomes: Human Capital Creation of college-going culture in K-12 system Reduced high school dropout and increased graduation rates Narrowing of college attendance gap by income and race Increased college attendance & completion rate Narrowing of K-12 achievement gap Creation of better-educated local workforce Key Challenge: Ensuring that all students are sufficiently prepared to make use of their scholarships

Potential Outcomes: Social Capital Boost to community morale, sense of identity Mobilization of multiple actors around education and economic development Increased volunteer activity in schools, new tutoring/mentoring programs New philanthropic resources Greater social cohesion due to better-educated residents Key Challenges: Coordinating and paying for support services Aligning multiple efforts around a common goal

Potential Outcomes: Economic Assets New financial resources for school districts Freed-up savings for families Higher national profile (awards, media coverage, etc.) Alignment of organizations around education as engine of economic development Stronger housing market & rising property values New business investment Population growth leading to revitalized urban core Key Challenges: Leveraging new business investment; overcoming stagnant economic climate

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11 State of Michigan Comparison

12 Similar School District Comparison

Initial Impact on Students 13 Higher student achievement – Bartik and Lachowska (2013) – increase in probability of earning credits, decrease in number of days suspended, increased GPA for African-American students Strengthening of college-going culture – Tripling of Advanced Placement enrollments (2007 – 11) – Pronounced gains among low-income and minority students Emergence of new student support programs – Early literacy, family literacy, tutoring, mentoring, credit recovery – The Learning Network of Greater Kalamazoo Shift in post-secondary choices – Four institutions receive 84% of Promise students – 63% go to local institutions, 21% go to flagship schools (U-M, MSU)

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Use of Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship For first eight classes of Promise-eligible graduates: – 3,236 students used scholarship (84% of those eligible) – Approximately $50 million paid out in scholarship funds (first dollar) – 93% of Promise-eligible students attempt college Percentage of use by ethnicity African-American 83% Hispanic 81% Caucasian85% Positive outcomes vary across type of institution (Class of 2006) – Students at 4-year institutions: 82% retention/completion – Students at 2-year institutions: 37% retention/completion Met academic requirements (2.0 GPA & completion of 75% of credits attempted) – 84% university v. 61% community college (Fall 2013) 15

Initial Impact on Local Economy Economic impact has been constrained by weak state and regional economy Indirect economic benefits – Students relocating to/remaining in district – New financial resources for school district – Local use of scholarships – School construction – first new buildings in 40 years – Higher national profile (awards, media coverage, etc.) – Alignment of organizations around education as engine of economic development

Lessons Learned 17 The Kalamazoo Promise has been shown to: – Create incentives for college-going and help build a college-going culture in the K-12 system. – Have positive effects on academic performance and behavior. – Support community alignment around education. – Challenge K-12 schools to adequately prepare students for college success. – Challenge community college around progression and completion. – Challenge broader community to address barriers that prevent academic success in low-income youth.

Additional Resources 18 Questions or comments: – Michelle Miller-Adams, The Promise of Kalamazoo blog PromiseNet conference – PromiseNet 2013 PromiseNet 2013 W.E. Upjohn Institute Kalamazoo Promise ResearchKalamazoo Promise Research