dr. michelle miller-adams associate professor, grand valley state university research fellow, w.e....
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Economic and Community Impacts of Promise Programs:
Initial Results from Kalamazoo
Dr. Michelle Miller-AdamsAssociate Professor, Grand Valley State University
Research Fellow, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
April 14, 2014
The Kalamazoo PromiseAnnounced November 2005, to continue in
perpetuityFunded by anonymous private donorsFirst-dollar program (before other financial aid)Place-based: Kalamazoo Public Schools
Covers 65-100% of tuition and fees at any in-state, public post-secondary institution for KPS graduates
Minimum 4-year residency & enrollment requirement
Universal: Every graduate is eligibleStudents have 10 years in which to use funding
Promise Programs as Tools for Community Transformation
Promise programs seek to change the culture of a community, not simply award scholarships. They are:
Place-based – focus on a geographically bounded community
Universal or near-universal – everyone has a stake; broad buy-in throughout the community
Long-term – allow time for people to make choices based on the program’s benefits
The Promise movement takes off…Since the Kalamazoo Promise was announced, more
than 30 other communities have created Promise programs, with more in the works.
Annual PromiseNet conference draws representatives from 50+ communities.
Promise programs exist in all parts of the country, in communities of all sizes and types.
Goals include expanding higher education opportunities, creating a college-going culture in K-12 system, and economic/community development or revitalization.
Promise programs are not all alike… Models vary by:
Student eligibility Universal (all graduates eligible) or merit-based(usually 2.5, some
3.0 ,plus attendance requirement); a few needs-based
Eligible post-secondary institutionsFunding
First- or last-dollar Private, philanthropic, public (tax-based financing)
* Universal approach most likely to achieve economic development goals.
Economic Development RationaleEducation → Productivity → Economic Growth
Higher skilled workforce leads to faster rates of income growth, benefits even less educated workers
Higher rate of college-educated workers has a positive effect on a community’s employment growth
Strength of Urban Core → Regional Economic VitalityImportance of a healthy central cityInterdependence of cities and suburbsQuality education system essential for business investment
and in-migration by residents
Education and Economic Growth - Results
Students across all demographic groups are using the Kalamazoo Promise at roughly equal rates
High-school graduation rates in Kalamazoo are rising relative both to the past and to other urban districts
Promise recipients outpace the national average in college-going, retention, and completion
Highest-achieving students are shifting to in-state, public institutions in line with incentives provided by scholarship
Two-thirds of Promise recipients use scholarship to attend local institutions
Taken together, these trends suggest that the Kalamazoo Promise is having a positive impact on human capital development in the region.
Question: Where will these better educated residents choose to live and work as adults?
Future research needed on workforce participation and earnings by Promise recipients.
Education and Economic Growth - Results
Strengthening the Urban Core - ResultsEnrollment growth in Kalamazoo Public Schools
25% increase since 2005Fastest growing urban district in MichiganHas brought school district:
New financial resources (est. $28 million)New school construction (est. $30 million)New hiring (est. $11 million)
Improved perceptions → virtuous circleSales and recruitment tool for realtors and
businesses
12
Kalama-zoo Promise An-nounced
Changing Perceptions of the Public Schools– results of a media content analysis
Improving school district at center of region is strengthening perception of Kalamazoo regionally and nationally
Question: How can benefits be directed to urban core when school district extends beyond the City of Kalamazoo and encompasses some suburban areas?
Future research needed on impact of Kalamazoo Promise on housing market, population, juvenile crime, downtown development, and more.
Strengthening the Urban Core - Results
Challenges of Assessing Economic ImpactTime frame for economic development
impacts to unfoldDifficulty of determining causalityAbsence of a good counterfactual exampleDifficulty of quantifying effects on civic culture
Community alignment around educationCatalyst for other, broader efforts
Upjohn Institute Resources
Stakeholder consultationIn-person or virtual
Review of best practicesLandscape assessmentsFeasibility, design, and impact studiesCost estimates
Proprietary model developed through work with more than a dozen communities
Evaluation
Additional Resources
Questions or comments:[email protected]://michellemilleradams.comhttp://thepromiseofkalamazoo.org
W.E. Upjohn Institute - Kalamazoo Promise ResearchSpecial Topics: Kalamazoo Promisehttp://www.upjohn.org
Promise Research ConsortiumFuture PromiseNet conferences