Kalamazoo Promise scholarship expanding to cover 100% of all community college tuition

The Kalamazoo Promise announced on Wednesday that eligible students attending community college will now receive 100% of their tuition as opposed to the previously instituted sliding scale.

The Kalamazoo Promise, with representatives from Kalamazoo Valley Community College, said on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. announced that eligible Kalamazoo Promise students will now always have 100% of their tuition schedule as opposed to receiving funds on a sliding scale of 65% to 100%, according to The Kalamazoo Promise Chief Operating Officer Bob Jorth.

“…what really separates Kalamazoo Public Schools from any other district in the country is the fact that we have access, and I call it a golden ticket….that opens the door to the world,” KPS Superintendent Dr. Darrin Slade said. “I just want to thank everybody involved with it. We’re going to do our part and make sure that our students are prepared to accept this resource and do well and finish college.”

The program, established in 2005, offers Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS) students up to 100% of tuition and mandatory fees paid for at any in-state public community college or university.

If this model had been in place in 2025, 425 additional students would have received increase Promise scholarship support, Jorth said.

“We are always looking for ways to remove barriers and open more doors for our scholars,” Von Washington Jr., CEO of The Kalamazoo Promise, said. “This change reflects what we have learned over the past 20 years and strengthens our commitment to meeting students where they are. Community colleges play a critical role in our ecosystem, and this ensures more of our scholars can fully access the opportunities available to them.”

The sliding scale eligibility is based on how long a student attended a KPS school, Jorth said, and this is not changing. Beginning on Wednesday, Kalamazoo Promise community college students, incoming or already enrolled, are now eligible for 100% of their tuition covered.

Jorth said they see the most challenges with success for their scholars who attended community college and believe this change will allow remove more barriers to focusing on their education.

Stats on The Kalamazoo Promise website say, since 2005, they have awarded over 9,000 students with education benefits and given over $250 million in scholarships.

To be eligible, students need to live in the KPS district, attend KPS for at least all of high school and graduate from KPS. The program covers tuition and mandatory fees on a sliding scale at over 60 eligible Michigan institutions, from colleges and universities, to trade schools and vocational programs.

For application, students can fill out a two page form as earlier as the fall of their senior year in high school, ensuring eligibility requirements and percentage for the scholarship are clear at the beginning.

The program is funded entirely by a small group of anonymous donors. In November, the program celebrated 20 years of service to students.