Walberg: School choice options must expand in Michigan

By: Tim Walberg
The Detroit News
March 16, 2026
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“Without hesitation, my mother looked [the principal] in the eye and said, ‘In five years, Walter will either be in jail or in a body bag — and we don’t have time for either.’”

This was the story Walter Blanks Jr. told my colleagues and me when he testified in front of the Education and Workforce Committee. Unfortunately, his story isn’t that unusual. In my time as a Michigan state legislator and a member of Congress, I have become far too familiar with the story of students who are stuck in a failing school system and lack the resources to get out.

“Fund students, not failing systems,” is a mantra I have adopted as Chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee. But this mantra isn’t just a talking point; it guides my work toward policies that deliver real results and allow parents more choice in which school to send their children.

Walter grew up in Ohio, a state with several school choice tax credits and an extensive voucher program that made it possible for his family to afford to send him to a private school where he thrived. I’m saddened to think what Walter’s future would’ve looked like had he grown up a few miles north in Michigan, where he would not have had these options.

Thankfully, school choice policies have gained popularity, and both the Trump administration and Congress have prioritized pushing some of these policies on a federal level. The Working Families Tax Cuts, signed into law in July, implemented the first ever federal school choice tax credit. This would incentivize businesses and individuals to donate to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) and thus expand scholarship access to families.

These scholarships are very broad and can be utilized for tutoring, tuition or even special needs services for children who have learning disabilities. The new federal tax credit matches dollar-for-dollar donations up to $1,700. Recipients of these scholarships need to be at or below three times the median income, ensuring funding goes to low-income and middle-class families.

This would have a huge impact on the Michigan education system that has been constrained by some of the most restrictive school choice policies in the nation.

The biggest hurdle to making this vision a reality in the state of Michigan is Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Under the Working Families Tax Cuts, governors must opt their state into the federal education tax credit program. Unfortunately, Whitmer has bought into the lie that any school choice funding takes away from public schools. In 2021, she vetoed several school choice tax credit bills that passed the state Legislature. She even went so far as to state that these bills would “turn private schools into tax shelters for the wealthy.” But Michiganians currently have to be wealthy or live in the right zip code to access a high-quality education.

However, there was a glimmer of hope when, last week, Whitmer said she needed more information and had not yet decided whether she would opt Michigan into this program. It is my sincere hope that the governor does the right thing and takes advantage of these school choice tax credits. Opting Michigan into the federal tax credit program would not defund public education or reduce state tax revenue.

The reality is school choice creates more competition among schools and helps schools reach their full potential as they strive to appeal to more families. In fact, research has shown that traditional public schools perform better when they face competition from school choice.

We also know that parents want more educational options. More than 70% of respondents to a RealClear Opinion Research survey support school choice, including 82% of Republicans, 68% of Democrats and 67% of Independents. A January 2025 survey similarly found that 81% of voters agree that the government should empower parents and prioritize individual students’ needs by providing greater access and more choices to ensure children receive the best education.

Taxpayer dollars should benefit students like Walter. I know there are plenty like him in Michigan, but they can only have the same success as he has if our state embraces more school choice policies.

Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, represents Michigan’s 5th House District and is chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee.

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