KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — Kalamazoo Public Schools Supt. Michael Rice delivered his annual state of the schools address to school trustees this week, something that has become a tradition right around the annual anniversary of the announcement of the Kalamazoo Promise.
He reports steady progress in test scores with improvements in reading ranging and math scores from a few percent in the various grades to double digit improvements in a few.
Rice said the district has increased its enrollment by 2,455 students over the last 11 years, growing faster than any other district in the state, leap frogging from the 24th largest to the 12th-largest during that period. It’s a growth of 24 percent with 12,772 K-12 students.
Poverty has remained a issue. In the last seven years, 69 percent of its student population has been eligible for free or reduced price lunches, compared to the state’s 47 percent.
Despite that impediment, Rice says they have made improvements in reading, writing, and math test scores.
He says advanced placement participation has grown for all groups of students. He says high school graduation rates are up, and the number of students who are college bound and completing college has also grown.
He says they have managed to do it despite having to cut the budget due to declines in state funding.
Rice thanked the donors of the Kalamazoo Promise, who haven’t directly requested specific improvements but have, by their generous gift, spurred dozens of efforts within the schools to improve curriculum, raise standards and aim higher.
He says it has also created a network of over 200 community organizations who participate in some way to make the educational experience better for students, staff and administrators.
The presentation was well received by trustees.
