LANSING (WKZO-AM) — The Michigan State Senate has approved bipartisan legislation designed to give other communities an opportunity to follow in Kalamazoo’s footprints with the creation of their own promise zones.
The program allows school districts to collect resources and use tax financing to generate funding for college scholarship programs.
The legislation would lift the limit of allowable promise zones from ten to 15 statewide. It would also allow new school districts to take over the designation from other districts that have been unable to get their programs off the ground.
Sens. Geoff Hansen and Jim Ananich, the co-sponsors of the legislation, note the vote came the day after a report was released showing the average Michigan college student owing around $29,000 in debt upon graduation.
– John McNeill
