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Can Universal, Place-Based Scholarships Reduce Inequality?
Lessons from Kalamazoo, Michigan
Dr. Michelle Miller-AdamsVisiting Scholar, W.E. Upjohn InstituteAssistant Professor, Grand Valley State University (Allendale, MI)
April 23, 2010
What is the Kalamazoo Promise?
Announced 11/05, to continue in perpetuity Funded by anonymous private donors Place-based: Kalamazoo Public Schools
Covers 65-100% of tuition and fees at state colleges & universities for KPS graduates
Universal: every graduate is eligible Minimum 4-year residency & enrollment
Place-based, universal approach suggests
blending of educational & economic goals
The first comprehensive account of the Kalamazoo
Promise, based on three years of research.
Published by the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment
Research, 2009.
Conceptual Framework
Scholarship program as catalyst New incentives created
Teachers, parents, residents, realtors Potential increase in assets -- human, social,
and economic -- for individuals and community IF – community is aligned.
“49% of the work is the funding and 51% is community engagement and alignment (the hard part)!”
Dr. Janice Brown, Kalamazoo Promise
Dimensions of inequality
Between urban and suburban areas poor & minority population concentrated in urban core
School districts reflect this imbalance low-income enrollment in KPS is 70%, in contiguous
district it is 20%
Within district elementary schools range in low-income population
from 35% to 99%
Disparities reflected in MEAP scores, etc.
A tool for reducing inequality?
Distinction between inequality of opportunities and inequality of outcomes
Program works to equalize both throughUniversal college accessStructural & cultural school changeAlignment of community resources
Equalizing opportunity:universal college access
Elimination / simplification of financial barriers to college attendance
Other barriers persistK-12 achievement gap by income and raceLack of college readiness
Academic and socialAbsence of role models / supportCultural: sense that “college isn’t for me”
Importance of defining college broadly
Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship Use In first four years of program
1,516 students received scholarships (81% of those eligible) 1,029 are currently enrolled $17 million spent as of spring 2010
Almost 9 out of 10 recipients attend four schools: Kalamazoo Valley Community College (31%) Western Michigan University (32%) Michigan State University (13%) University of Michigan (11%)
Persistence rates as of fall 2009 Class of 2006: 81% university, 24% community college Class of 2007: 84% university, 34% community college Class of 2008: 84% university, 50% community college
Usage by Race
2006 2007 2008 2009
% eligible graduates who have used Promise
83 83 85 73
% of eligible African-American graduates who have used Promise
83 81 85 72
% of eligible Hispanic graduateswho have used Promise (small-n)
71 90 82 66
% of eligible Caucasian graduates who have used Promise
86 85 85 77
Usage of Kalamazoo Promise by race closely matches demographics of eligibility for the program.
Usage by Socioeconomic Status*
2006 2007 2008 2009
% graduates w/ Free & Reduced Meal status
48 50 59 59
% of KP-eligible students w/ Free & Reduced Meal Status
46 49 58 58
% of students w/ Free & Reduced Meal status who have used Promise
43 46 56 60
Usage of Kalamazoo Promise by low-income students closely matches demographics of school district.
* Free & Reduced meal status is underreported for all categories because only most recent five years of data is available.
Academic Performance in College Good news: Low-income students are using the
Kalamazoo Promise at the same rate as middle-income students
Bad news: more low-income students are struggling once in college.
KP users who qualified for Free & Reduced Meals while at KPS account for:
35% of students in good standing 70% of students on probation 67% of students whose scholarships have been suspended
Equalizing outcomes: cultural & structural change in the schools
Cultural: efforts to ensure that every student is “college-ready” Early literacy, curriculum review, testing College readiness course, AP offerings, credit
recovery, weighted grades Career awareness & preparation
Structural: socioeconomic integration of schools Supported by enrollment increase & new school
construction Will it extend to elementary schools? Neighborhoods?
25-year KPS enrollment trend
9000
10000
11000
12000
13000
14000
15000
Fall Headcount
Aca
dem
ic Y
ear
Kalamazoo Promise Announced
16% enrollment growth since 2005Ethnic/racial distribution has remained the sameLow-income population has risen: 62% to 70%
Support for bond issue -> school constructionNew schools (first in 4 decades) -> redistrictingGreater socioeconomic balance in secondary schools
2008-09 Projected
2009-10
Middle Schools
- Hillside 52 65 67
- Linden Grove n.a. 72 69
- Maple Street 72 68 68
- Milwood 84 71 79
High Schools
- Central 53 58 55
- Norrix 64 60 65
Cultural Change Indicators
College readiness course (10th grade) “Promise Week” centered on middle school
college awareness
Weighted grades for AP courses
Advanced Placement (AP) trends 2007-09 # of students enrolled: + 71% (526 students)
Economically disadvantaged + 148% (156) African-American + 166% (141) Hispanic + 400% (40)
Students taking course must now also take AP test # taking test is up; pass rate is down
Scholarship program alone does not lead to school improvement, cultural or economic change. But it
can deepen community engagement and alignment around these goals.
Strategic Prioritiesfor Kalamazoo