Officials prepare for celebration of "The Kalamazoo Promise"

WOOD TV 8 Grand Rapids ^ | November 14, 2005

[MaryFromMichigan]

​ ​​​​(Kalamazoo, November 14, 2005, 8:19 a.m.) School and community leaders will gather at 8 a.m. Tuesday at Chenery Auditorium to celebrate "The Kalamazoo Promise ," which will offer free college tuition to public high school graduates.

It is a program that is expected to boost enrollment in Kalamazoo public schools. Every student in the Kalamazoo Public School District is entitled to a scholarship to any public university or community college in Michigan, starting with the class of 2006.

A group of anonymous donors is underwriting the program. Eligibility for this program is based on how long the student attends Kalamazoo public schools.

To receive any assistance, a student must live the Kalamazoo Public School District and would have had to attend since at least ninth grade. Sixty-five percent of that student's tuition would be paid.

The scale goes up from there, with eighth graders receiving 70 percent of their tuition paid, 75 percent for seventh graders, 80 percent for sixth, 85 percent for fifth, 90 percent for fourth, and 95 for first through third graders. Students attending schools in the district from kindergarten through high school graduation will have 100 percent of their tuition and fees paid.div>

[RightWhale]

Any rumor who is doing this?

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Ooops, sorry about that... That should read: my number 14..

HERE

[MaryFromMichigan]

Any rumor who is doing this?

Not that I know of.
Perhaps a freeper who does know will chime in.

[RightWhale]

There is some serious money sloshing around in Kalamazoo. They could scare up $500 million easily.

[MaryFromMichigan]

Upjohns, perhaps?

[RightWhale]

Easily. They can barely give it away fast enough, and education makes superior future workers. :)

[apackof2]

thanks for the ping

[Think free or die]

I graduated from Kazoo Central HS in '74 and went on to U-M. I guess I'm about 30 years too late for my free ride!

My parents and brother still live in Kazoo. I love to visit the area and have a lot of good memories of growing up in SW Michigan.

It's sad that the city has had so many problems over the years. There were problems even when I was going to school - a lot of racial conflict spilling over from Detroit in the late '60's and early 70's. Schools were closed several times due to rioting.

Kalamazoo has a fine history, interesting architecture, and a lot of fine citizens who try to improve it. I wish them well with this effort. It's a city worth saving.