Chamber Urges Michigan to Join Tax Credit

The Detroit Regional Chamber is asking Governor Whitmer to opt Michigan into the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit for private school scholarships.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Financial Aid

Chamber Urges Michigan to Join Tax Credit

Live Poll

Should Michigan use the federal tax credit to fund private school scholarships?

The Detroit Regional Chamber has sent a letter urging Governor Gretchen Whitmer to opt Michigan into the Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit, which allows a $1,700 donation to a Scholarship Granting Organization. Scholarships funded through the program can be used for books, tutoring, and private school tuition.

Why it matters

More than 30 states have already opted into the program, and the Chamber argues Michigan's low childhood literacy justifies improvements to education. The Michigan Constitution bans public money from going toward private schools, and voters rejected a state-funded voucher proposal in 2000.

The federal credit allows a $1,700 donation to a Scholarship Granting Organization, and more than 30 states have opted into the program. Whether Michigan will join remains unresolved, as Governor Whitmer has not announced a decision.

The players

Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer is the Democratic governor of Michigan, who has been asked to opt the state into the federal tax credit program.

Detroit Regional Chamber

The Detroit Regional Chamber is a business advocacy organization in southeast Michigan that sent the letter urging the state to join the program.

Dana Nessel

Nessel is Michigan's Attorney General, who has publicly criticized the program in an op-ed.

The details

Scholarship Granting Organizations distribute scholarships to students, and donations made to them qualify for the federal tax credit. Whitmer and four other Democratic governors have separately written to the U.S. Department of the Treasury requesting more information about the program.

2000: Michigan voters rejected a state-funded voucher program proposal.
October 2026: Whitmer and four Democratic governors wrote to the U.S. Treasury.
November 9, 2026: The Detroit Regional Chamber's letter urging Whitmer to join the program was publicized.

Culture Shift

The push for Michigan to join the program runs up against the state constitution, which bars public money from flowing to private schools. Voters rejected a state-funded voucher proposal in 2000, a precedent that frames the current debate over private school choice.

Families considering private school tuition should note that scholarships funded through the federal credit could cover books, tutoring, and tuition, but only if Michigan opts in. Until a decision is made, the program is not available to Michigan taxpayers.

The takeaway

Michigan's decision on the federal tax credit will test how the state balances its constitutional ban on public funding for private schools against growing national participation in school choice programs. Readers tracking education funding should watch for the governor's response.