Connecticut Promise Zones

State Representative Kelvin Roldan has proposed a bill in the Connecticut General Assembly to implement an innovative program to provide scholarships for public higher education modeled on one developed in Kalamazoo Michigan. Connecticut Promise Zones would allow local communities to raise bond funds to pay for scholarships for local students. The documents linked below include the letter from Representative Roldan to the General Assembly, a copy of the text of the raised bill, and an editorial from the Hartford Courant supporting the legislation. Additionally, there are documents evaluating the Kalamazoo project, and links to media coverage about it.

Click here for the text of the Raised Bill, No. 5611 (Feb. 2008).

Click here for the letter from State Representative Kelvin Roldan (Feb. 28, 2008).

Click here for the editorial from the Hartford Courant on the topic (Feb. 27, 2008).

Click here for the Kalamazoo Promise web site.

Click here for Research Related to the Kalamazoo Promise conducted by the Upjohn Institute.

Click here for an Evaluation of Kalamazoo Promise by Western Michigan University.

Click here for a press release about the economic impact of the the Kalamozoo Promise.

The following are links to press coverage of the Kalamazoo Promise

• MLive.com Story
• National Public Radio Story
• Other Media Coverage

Finally, this link below takes you to media coverage of a program in Pittsburgh based on the Kalamazoo Promize.

• WPIX Pittsburgh Coverage of Pittsburgh Promise