Late in January, the Michigan House Education & Workforce Committee considered new, bipartisan legislation on school choice. The ambitious goal of the sponsoring legislators is that is that the proposed bills could pass both chambers, be signed by the governor, and be implemented in time open up new opportunities for Michigan students ahead of the 2026/2027 academic year.
At its best, school choice reflects a basic truth: parents bear the primary responsibility for their children and their children’s education, and government should structure education policy to serve students rather than systems. Families are not all alike, children are not all alike, and the ability to seek a school that fits a child’s needs can be the difference between success and discouragement. School choice also reflects a widely shared fairness concern: a child’s educational opportunity should not be determined by a ZIP code. When carefully designed, open enrollment can expand access to stronger academic programs, safer environments, specialized services, or particular instructional approaches—
especially for families without the means to relocate.
Read Professor Wagner & Katherine Bussard’s joint testimony on this matter before the Michigan legislature: