K-12 Alliance of Michigan Sends Letter Urging Whitmer, Benson & James to Keep Michigan Out of Disastrous School Voucher Program

New federal rules confirm the program would steer billions toward private school tuition while Michigan absorbs the risk and loses any say in how it works

The K-12 Alliance of Michigan today released a letter to Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Congressman John James reaffirming its opposition to the federal "Education Freedom Tax Credit" program. The letter asks Governor Whitmer not to opt Michigan into the program during the remainder of her term, and asks Secretary Benson and Congressman James to do the same if elected governor.

The letter comes the same day the U.S. Treasury Department released its long-awaited proposed rules for the program, which show it is likely even more dangerous than originally known, allowing more taxpayer dollars to flow to private schools and barring states from setting any standards of their own, including limits on which schools receive funds or how the money is spent.

“No governor, regardless of which side of the aisle they’re on, should sign Michigan up for a program that will benefit a select few while taking taxpayer resources away from the vast majority of Michigan's students,” said Robert McCann, Executive Director of The K-12 Alliance of Michigan. “Michigan families have repeatedly told their elected officials that they don’t want public funding going to private schools and calling a voucher a tax credit doesn't change what it does. This program would take public dollars and send them to private school tuition and Michigan's Constitution is clear that we don't do that here.” 

Michigan voters have been clear on this issue for decades. In 1978 and again in 2000, voters across party lines rejected ballot proposals to create voucher programs for private schools. That view hasn't changed. Recent polling found that Michigan voters want the state to stay out of the new federal program by a margin of 61 percent to 29 percent.

Michigan's Constitution also prohibits the use of public funds to support nonpublic schools. Supporters call the program a tax credit rather than a voucher, but the effect is the same: taxpayer-supported dollars go to private scholarship organizations and, through them, to private school tuition.

Educators have warned that the program would deepen the inequities Michigan schools are working to close. In other states with similar programs, the vast majority of scholarship recipients were already enrolled in private schools before receiving assistance. Instead of opening doors for low-income families, the credits largely subsidize tuition for families who could already afford it.

"This program doesn't open doors for kids who need help. It pays tuition for families who were already choosing to send their children to private schools and every dollar they receive is a dollar that isn’t going to the 1.4 million students in Michigan’s public schools," McCann added . "A program that is designed to fund private schools, that can pick and choose the students they want to serve while pulling money from our public schools that serve everyone, including kids with special needs, is one that is designed to do harm."

Those losses fall hardest on students with the greatest needs. As costs climb, even modest reductions in resources force districts into hard choices, and arts and music, advanced coursework, career and technical education, and school-based mental health services are often the first at risk. Michigan's public schools serve every child who walks through the door and operate under strict academic, financial and civil rights standards, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Private schools benefiting from these tax credits carry no such obligation to serve students with disabilities.

"The federal tax credit voucher program equates to taking funding from the public school system and jeopardizes adequate funding for our most important programs," said Derek Fisher, Superintendent of Garden City Public Schools and President of The K-12 Alliance of Michigan. "Michigan continues to make meaningful progress through investments in literacy, early childhood education, and funding equity. We should be strengthening those investments, not diverting resources and attention away from our effort to support every child every day. Our continued progress depends on keeping public dollars in public schools. Public schools welcome every child, regardless of their needs or circumstances, and we accept the responsibility of educating them every day. As educators and community leaders, we should be united in making sure public dollars strengthen public schools and commit to giving every child the opportunity to succeed.”  

The full letter is available here: k12michigan.org/voucherletter