North Kent News

Kalamazoo Public Schools implemented its free college program more than 10 years ago and it is continuing to work and perfect a program that organizations around the country have kept a close eye on.

Kalamazoo Promise offers Kalamazoo Public School students the opportunity to attend college tuition-free. The scholarship is based on the graduate’s number of years they spend in the district and covers tuition at 15 of Michigan’s public universities and 30 community colleges.

The program is in its 13th year of existence. The establishment of the Kalamazoo Promise was first announced in November 2005 by then-Kalamazoo Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Janice Brown. She is currently the executive director emeritus of Kalamazoo Promise. Von Washington Jr., executive director of community relations for the Promise, says that the program went live in June of the following year.

Executive Director of Community Relations for Kalamazoo Promise Von Washington Jr. | Kalamazoo Promise

“[Brown] announced that graduates of the Kalamazoo Public Schools would receive tuition and mandatory fees paid to an in-state college or university upon graduating,” Washington, told North Kent News. 

The application process isn’t too strenuous, according to Washington. But, the program is pretty strict on the residential requirements. Directors want to make sure the money is directly helping the residents of the community. 

“You must live within the boundaries of the school district,” says Washington Jr. “You must have attended at least four consecutive years in the school district.”

The longer a student is in the district after four years, the more money they qualify for.

The program is funded by anonymous donors and this has allowed the program to thrive during its 13 years of existence. Many programs around Michigan and the country have modeled their program around Kalamazoo Promise.

"There are several promise programs in varying degrees in Michigan,” said Washington Jr. 

He named an organization called W.E. Upjohn Institute, which has been a research partner with the Promise from the beginning. 

“There’s over 200 programs across the country that are similar,” he said. “The Kalamazoo Promise still has the greatest generosity behind its scholarship.”