Every once in a while I will highlight local news or events that I feel are of a greater significance. I believe this to be pretty significant, and something that many communities nationwide should aim for/learn from, especially seeing as our country is losing jobs to outsourcing faster than ever before, and a highly-educated workforce will be necessary for the survival of this country’s economy, among other reasons.
Yes, there really is a town called Kalamazoo (or “K-Zoo” as some of us locals call it). It’s a small town in Michigan with a population of just over 77,000, and is roughly a 2 1/2 hour drive northeast of Chicago, 45 minutes south of Grand Rapids.
During the second half of last year, Kalamazoo Public Schools started a program called “The Kalamazoo Promise”. Cheesy title, great idea. The program’s intent is “to provide each Kalamazoo Public School graduate with the opportunity to attend post –secondary education with up to a 100% tuition scholarship”.
At first one might conjur ideas of the state of California offering free tuition to residents, but the word “free” is not quite true. California universities and colleges often have fees that equal the price of attendance elsewhere. Some states have smilar programs, but have a GPA requirement, such as Georgia. But “The Kalamzoo Promise” has a different aim.
As a rustbelt city still feeling the hurt from industry packing up its bags, Kalamazoo is seeing the same thing happen as a lot of this country’s urban areas. Downtowns are being traded in for cushy suburbs and strip malls, ever eroding the city’s tax base while still stretching its budget to cover the added infastructure costs associated with exurban development. Additionally, there is a growing level of poverty, and a widening gap between rich and poor.
Whereas state programs do not do anything to curb sprawl and social stratification, this city-only program is already reversing the trend.
A week ago The Wall Street Journal covered some of this story:
With its commitment to the Promise, Kalamazoo is upsetting the traditional economic-development model. In the past, blighted cities across the nation signed onto various types of revitalization plans. Mainly, they focused on physical improvements — including new public spaces, office parks and other civic amenities — in hopes of spurring economic and social progress.
The Promise is different. By making education the cornerstone of the city’s turnaround plan, Kalamazoo is hoping that other positive changes will follow.
Mr. DeHaan, the developer, says the Promise already has helped fuel housing demand. His company plans to put up 70 houses in Kalamazoo this year, and perhaps 500 over the next five years. Suburbanites have begun moving into the city. Both families and investors from outside the state are hunting for property, which has seen modest price increases.
What isn’t clear is whether the Promise will bring much-needed jobs to Kalamazoo. Although the plan hasn’t lured any companies yet, Southwest Michigan First, a regional development agency, says the number of inquiries from small businesses has recently quadrupled to between 20 to 25 calls a week.
-Neal E. Boudette, The Wall Street Journal
The tuition benefit will be graduated on the basis of length of attendance in the Kalamazoo Public School system, which encourages people to stick around.
Length of Attendance Benefit
K-12 …………………..100%
1-12 ……………………95%
2-12 ……………………95%
3-12 ……………………95%
4-12 ……………………90%
5-12 ……………………85%
6-12 ……………………80%
7-12 ……………………75%
8-12 ……………………70%
9-12 ……………………65%
10-12 …………………None
11-12 …………………None
12-12 …………………None
As my major at Michigan State University is Community Relations with a focus in urban planning and anthropology, this is of special interest to me. I absolutely cannot wait to see how this pans out for the city.
For more information, click to Kalamazoo Public Schools.
B.Robb
