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Center for Michigan's Bridge magazine examines impact and potential of Kalamazoo Promise

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Derek Melot

The Center for Michigan describes itself as a “think and do” tank. In September the Ann Arbor-based public policy organization launched an online magazine called Bridge to provide news and analysis on issues throughout the state. Recently Bridge took an extensive look at the Kalamazoo Promise scholarship program. Derek Melot is the senior editor of Bridge Magazine. He says the Center for Michigan is launching a series of community conversations on education, and wanted to look at the Promise and its potential in Michigan.

Melot says they were also interested in data showing that the real estate market in Kalamazoo is doing better than other urban areas in Michigan.

Melot says no expert will say that the Kalamazoo Promise is linked to the good news in Kalamazoo’s real estate sector.

He says the state has approved “promise zones” throughout the rest of the state. Those require a certain amount of private money to be raised, and that can be augmented by “tax increment financing.” Melot says raising the money for “Promise Zones” is difficult during tough economic times.

He says other areas of the state are waiting to see more data on the results of the Kalamazoo Promise. But Melot says no one wants to be “the control” district in an experiment on improving education and the economy in urban areas and their school districts.