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By Molly Macek
In September, the Mackinac Center partnered with a homeschooling community in northern Michigan to provide families a unique opportunity to learn about civics. More than 100 students and parents joined Mackinac Center staff in Traverse City for a fun day of hands-on learning.
Students of all ages participated in interactive sessions to learn from policy experts about the branches of government, the voting process and the role of legislators in passing bills. I led a session with parents who wanted to learn about Michigan’s education landscape and state policies that impact the homeschooling experience.
Some parents mentioned the challenge of finding the right curriculum. Many states have responded to this challenge by creating Education Savings Accounts – publicly funded, government-authorized accounts that students can use for a variety of expenses. In Florida, for example, parents with school-age children can apply for the Family Empowerment Scholarship ESA to cover the cost of curriculum materials, home education, tutoring, therapies, tuition, online courses and other educational services.
Erin Ray, who attended the parent session, is a permanent resident of Florida who participates in that state’s ESA program. She spends a portion of the year in Michigan, but relies on the Florida ESA to purchase textbooks, musical instruments and other curriculum materials. She’s also able to secure tutoring services for her daughter who has dyslexia – an expense that would be too costly otherwise.
Erin and her husband use ESA funds to customize their children’s education. “It’s the freedom to raise your kids to be well-educated, well-rounded, good citizens,” she said of homeschooling. “It’s the freedom and flexibility to prioritize your family first.”
In Michigan, however, most public funds can only be used for public school districts, including charter schools. Unlike in Florida, Michigan taxpayers receive no reimbursement when they choose alternative means of educating their kids.
That’s because a discriminatory amendment in the state’s constitution prohibits the use of public funds for nonpublic education. Unfortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court recently declined to hear the Mackinac Center’s case that sought to strike down the amendment and open the door to programs like ESAs in Michigan.
The Mackinac Center works to ensure parents have access to a variety of educational options. We will continue to fight for Michigan’s families to get the same opportunities as those elsewhere.
