Saturday, October 20, 2007
YOUNGSTOWN — The Kalamazoo Promise, a program providing free college tuition in the Michigan community, was put into place in late 2005.
A program administrator told The Vindicator in March that it was created and financed by a small group of anonymous donors whose desire was to improve the town by upgrading the education and skills of its young people.
The program covers up to four years of tuition at any public college or community college in Michigan, including vocational training programs.
The amount students receive is based on the number of years they have attended the city school district.
For example, a child who has been in the system since kindergarten could get 100 percent tuition coverage. A child who has been in the school since ninth grade could get 65 percent coverage.
Those who attend the city schools for two years or less aren’t eligible for any assistance.
The Class of 2006 was the first group able to take advantage of the program, and about 340 students received tuition payments with about 60 percent of that number getting full tuition.