Upload
amberly-lindsey
View
216
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
The Kalamazoo Promise: Building Assets for Community Change
Michelle Miller-Adams, Research FellowW.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
2
What makes Promise programs potential tools for community transformation?
3
Promise programs seek to change the culture of a community, not simply award scholarships.
They are:
• Place-based – focus on a geographically bounded community
• Universal or near-universal – everyone has a stake; broad buy-in throughout the community
• Long-term – allow time for people to make choices based on the program’s benefits
The Promise movement takes off . . .
4
• 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 PromiseSparkman Promise
Benton Harbor PromisePontiac Promise
Leopard Challenge
Northport Promise
San Francisco Promise
Ventura Promise
Promise for the Future
Hopkinsville Rotary Scholars
LaCrosse PromiseSaginaw Promise
Lansing Promise
Pensacola Pledge Scholars
Detroit Scholarship
Jackson Legacy
Promise programs are not all alike . . .
6
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
7
• 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
11
Kalama-zoo Promise An-nounced
State of Michigan Comparison
1991-92
1992-93
1993-94
1994-95
1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
1,450,000
1,500,000
1,550,000
1,600,000
1,650,000
1,700,000
1,750,000
0
2,500
5,000
7,500
10,000
12,500
15,000
State Enrollment Kalamazoo Public Schools
1991-92
1992-93
1993-94
1994-95
1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
Kalamazoo Public Schools
Battle Creek Public Schools
Grand Rapids Public Schools
Lansing Public Schools
Flint City School District
Saginaw City School District
Pontiac School District
Similar School District Comparison
Initial Impact on Students
Percent Unemployed for More Than 27 Weeks
14
• 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)
15
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%• Caucasian 85%
• 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)
16
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
18
• 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
19
• Questions or comments:– Michelle Miller-Adams, [email protected]
• The Promise of Kalamazoo blog
• PromiseNet conference– PromiseNet 2013
• W.E. Upjohn Institute Kalamazoo Promise Research