Nearly 10,000 graduates have used The Kalamazoo Promise since the scholarship began 20 years ago.
Announced in November 2005 and funded by a group of anonymous donors, the Kalamazoo Promise is the first of a growing number of Promise-type programs nationwide. From the beginning, the Upjohn Institute has played a leading role in Kalamazoo Promise research, evaluation, and data collection activities.
This interactive data tool offers a dynamic way to explore measures of Kalamazoo Promise usage and student success in greater detail, providing an in-depth look at enrollment trends, degree and certificate completion rates, and other critical statistics, broken down by race/ethnicity and gender.
ABOUT THE KALAMAZOO PROMISE
The Kalamazoo Promise is available for almost all Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS) graduates. Promise scholars can use their award at Michigan public colleges, universities, and community colleges and tuition subsidies for selected private independent Michigan colleges and universities. Also covered are the cost of certificates and other vocational education programs including apprenticeships from selected program providers.
Recognizing that money alone does not guarantee entry and completion of credentials, the initiative also supports college readiness coaches, completion supports, and high-quality paid internships as scholars progress toward finishing their degrees.
ABOUT THE DATA
Published in April 2025, this version of The Kalamazoo Promise Tables is the most up-to-date. The modifications and updates introduced in this version differ from previous ones, so direct comparisons to previous versions of this data may not be valid. For consistency and accuracy, only the current version should be used for analysis and reporting.
