The Kalamazoo Promise: A College Tuition Opportunity for KPS Graduates

Free college: If you've earned it, we'll pay for it.

The Kalamazoo Promise covers the cost of four years of college tuition for attendance at a Michigan community college or public university for students who have attended Kalamazoo schools and lived within its boundaries for at least the four years of high school. Announced in November of 2005, the Kalamazoo Promise is a scholarship program funded by anonymous donors. For more information, visit the Kalamazoo Promise website or call the Kalamazoo Promise offices at 269-337-0037. The Western Michigan University College of Education's Kalamazoo Promise Evaluation is an ongoing research project that examines the impact of this scholarship program. The W.E. Upjohn Institute plays a leading role in research, evaluation and community mobilization activities involving the Kalamazoo Promise. Their 2010 conference paper "The Kalamazoo Promise, and Enrollment and Achievement Trends in Kalamazoo Public Schools" is attached as a pdf below.

Ten Things You Need to Know About the Kalamazoo Promise

1. The Kalamazoo Promise is for all students of the Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS).
2. You must live within the boundaries of KPS.
3. You must have at least all of the high school years (9-12) in KPS (enrollment and residency) and graduate from KPS (Central, Loy Norrix or Phoenix high schools).
4. The Kalamazoo Promise will not end. It is set up to go on for many years to come.
5. The Kalamazoo Promise is a four-year scholarship (a bachelor's degree or 130 credits, whichever occurs first).
6. You have ten years from the time you graduate from high school to use your Promise and can start and stop any time.
7. The Kalamazoo Promise covers tuition and mandatory fees.
8. Students sign up for The Kalamazoo Promise at the beginning of their senior year. Meetings are held for all seniors each fall. There are two simple forms to fill out for The Kalamazoo Promise.
9. There is an appeal process for students during their senior year, especially for hardship cases (e.g., custody, death in the family, and foster-care placement).
10. All students using The Kalamazoo Promise at Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC) may attend part-time.

10 Cosas Que Necesitas Saber

1. La Promesa de Kalamazoo es para TODOS los estudiantes de las Escuelas Públicas de Kalamazoo (KPS) sin importar su estado migratorio.

2. Tiene que residir dentro de los límites de KPS.

3. Tiene que asistir por lo menos todos los años del nivel de secundaria (9-12) en KPS (inscrito y domicilio). Tiene que graduarse de KPS (Central / Loy Norrix / Phoenix).

4. La Promesa de Kalamazoo no terminará. Está diseñada para continuar por muchos años.

5. La Promesa de Kalamazoo es una beca de 4 años. (Un bachillerato universitario o 130 créditos, lo que ocurra primero).

6. Tiene diez años después de graduarse de la secundaria para usar la Promesa, y puede empezar y terminar en cualquier momento.

7. La Promesa de Kalamazoo cubre la cuota y honorarios obligatorios.

8. Los estudiantes deben llenar los papeles para La Promesa de Kalamazoo en el comienzo de su 12o grado en la secundaria. (Reuniones informativas para los estudiantes del 12o grado tiene lugar cada otoño.) Hay dos formas simples de llenar para La Promesa de Kalamazoo.

9. Hay un proceso de apelación para estudiantes durante su último año de secundaria, especialmente para casos especiales (e.g., custodia, defunción en la familia, custodia tutelar).

10. Todos los estudiantes usando La Promesa de Kalamazoo para KVCC pueden asistir medio tiempo.