FREMONT, MI - All Newaygo County students have a tuition-free path to at least an associate's degree as Michigan's newest Promise Zone, Newayo County RESA Superintendent Lori Tubbergen Clark announced Monday, April 11.

"Hope is one of the greatest gifts that we can give this next generation," said Clark, about the Newaygo County Promise Zone for students in their rural, high poverty school districts.

"I am confident that we have just given these kids the gift of an opportunity. The best paying jobs of this century will require a high level of education and training and the Promise Zone opportunity will allow our students to compete for those jobs, and supply the workforce with the talent they need."

Newaygo County is among 10 communities in the state that have formed Promise Zones that can capture tax increases to help fund college scholarships.

Scholarships have to be provided with a combination of federal, state and private funds for the first two years before the zone can begin capturing one-half of the growth in the state education tax revenue in the zone area.

Clark said the tax will supplement the local fundraising efforts to pay for the student's tuition.

The Newaygo County Regional Educational Service Agency (NC RESA) is made up of six school districts: Fremont, Grant, Newaygo, White Cloud, Hesperia, and Big Jackson.

Clark said the Promise Zone was a "game changer." She said it will change the dynamic for some students living in poverty from if they are going to college to where they are going.

"As a community, it is all of our responsibility to ensure that every Newaygo County student has access to an affordable, first-class education beyond high school," said Clark.

The Kalamazoo Promise, reportedly the nation's first universal scholarship program for an entire community, inspired the state's Promise communities to raise educational attainment and spur economic growth in a community.

Muskegon Area Promise and Newaygo are the only county Promise Zones. The others are in districts in distressed cities including: Detroit, Battle Creek, Saginaw, Benton Harbor, Baldwin, Hazel Park, Lansing, and Pontiac.

Clark said the 2014 dissolution of the Jackson Promise Zone, one of the 10 named in 2009, paved the way for Newaygo appointment. She said they applied

Related: First Promise scholarship signals Muskegon's commitment to all graduates

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Senate Bills 539 and 540, sponsored by state Sens. Goeff Hansen, R-Hart, and Jim Ananich, D-Flint, respectively, created a process to dissolve an existing Promise Zone, if necessary, while establishing a new zone in its place.

The bills, signed into law by Gov. Rick Snyder in February, clarified that a dissolved zone would not count toward the limit of 10 zones allowed under the existing law and created additional reporting requirements, including the number of students receiving financial aid and the graduation rates of students.

"Education is how you get people out of poverty," said Hansen. "This is a huge opportunity for this community."

He said the Baldwin Promise Zone is an example of how the zones are increasing the number of students attending college and creating a college going culture. He said legislation to increase the zones from 10 to 15 didn't pass because of cost concerns.

Clark said each Promise Zone is governed by an 11-member Promise Zone Authority. She said the school board will appoint nine members and the Michigan Legislature the other two members.

Once the authority is established, she said members will decide when the program will begin, whether it will be for a two-year or four-year degree college or technical school. She said they will also determine student criteria such as GPA requirements.

Clark said instructors from Muskegon Community College would be able teach courses on their Fremont service center campus. She said Baker College also has a Fremont campus.

Newaygo has battled declining enrollment. There are approximately 8,400 students currently in the six districts, including center based and Great Start Readiness Program students, according to Clark.



Monica Scott is an education writer. Email her at mscott2@mlive.com and follow her on Twitter @MScottGR or Facebook