KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A recent report from the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research shows that many Kalamazoo Public Schools students are opting to enter the workforce directly, rather than head straight to college.
The Kalamazoo Promise, a program that covers tuition fees for Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS) graduates, offers the option to attend college without the burden of tuition expenses. However, over the past five years, college enrollment has declined by 15%. While the pandemic has played a part in this decline, it is not the sole reason.
According to researchers, the labor market has been booming in recent years. Instead of taking the traditional route of enrolling in college, graduates are choosing to enter the workforce. Brad Hershbein, a senior economist at the W.E. Upjohn Institute, explains that many students who would have typically enrolled at Kalamazoo Valley Community College are now opting to work to support themselves and their families.
Although the Kalamazoo Promise covers tuition costs, additional expenses can pose challenges for some graduates.
"It doesn't pay for transportation or books, or if you're on campus woman board. So those are things that students still feel that they may need to save up for in order to progress through and not have to leave because, you know, something happened to their car," he said.
Research shows that the sharpest decline in college enrollment is seen among black female students. Hershbein suggests that this trend may be due to similar factors, including the need to work and support their families.
The decline in enrollment is most noticeable in students who were planning to enroll in two-year colleges.
"That's certainly the sector that's leading the decline. In the four-year sector, it was much more modest than that. And already we have seen signs of it bouncing back," he said.
It is worth pointing out that KPS graduates still have higher college enrollment rates compared to students in wealthier districts. KPS graduates still enroll in college about 10% more than students in comparable school districts in Michigan.
"Kalamazoo Public Schools started off much higher than in comparable districts, in some cases, even higher than the state as a whole, which on average is wealthier and generally more resource than Kalamazoo Public Schools, which is a relatively low-income district," Hershbein said.
Bob Jorth, the executive director of the Kalamazoo Promise, emphasizes that graduates who choose to enter the workforce immediately are still eligible for the Promise benefits for up to ten years.
"We're also encouraging students to look at the post-secondary education as a broader perspective. So, you know, maybe you start out with a CNA or a welding degree, that you work for a while, and then you come back and you use your promise to enhance your career, your resume and skill sets," Jorth told FOX 17.
To support students in navigating their options within the Promise program, coaches have been hired and placed in each high school. They've also created a program called Elevate.
"We have two caseworkers who work with students who have more barriers to being successful, maybe childcare, maybe economics, maybe housing, maybe mental health, physical health. And so, we're really trying to work with students one on one where they are and help them overcome the obstacles that are, that are in their way," he said.
Jorth says as they finalize numbers for Fall 2023, enrollment is already showing signs of improvement compared to last year— 70% of the recovery in enrollment has been seen among students of color.
