Just the Facts
Every child deserves an exceptional education. Let’s trust parents, not bureaucrats, to make the best decisions for their kids.
The pandemic took a heavy toll on Michigan students. Now’s the time to support Michigan’s students, to give parents more control, and to expand opportunities for every student.
Michigan Student Opportunity Accounts will equip families with grants and benefits they can use for
any education or learning expense – both inside and outside the classroom.
Key Fact
Michigan Student Opportunity Accounts provide direct support to families from individual and corporate tax credits that have a large list of uses that benefit students, not systems, including:
Online classes
Summer school and after school programs
Tutoring and tuition
Transportation
Skilled training and CTE expenses
Textbooks and curriculum materials
Wi-fi and laptops
Occupational, behavioral and speech therapies
Mental health services, and more.
Key Fact
Michigan Student Opportunity Accounts provide opportunities for students from all over Michigan – students who qualify for free-and-reduced school lunch, special needs students, and students at/below 200% of the free-and-reduced lunch eligibility – to ensure every student in every community has a chance for success.
In fact, 21 other states – including “blue” states – have already enacted education tax credit programs. States with programs like these that give parents control and students opportunities have seen their school budget costs decrease. The services provided in schools where students have extra opportunities have actually increased, as well, to better meet the needs of kids. Studies across the country show the fiscal and academic impact of student opportunity programs are a big positive for all students.
Key Fact
Michigan Student Opportunity Accounts will add education dollars to the state. For students who stay in public schools, these accounts will add extra funding for their educational needs.
Key Fact
Michigan Student Opportunity Accounts are designed to increase services for students with special needs!
During the pandemic, far too many special education students were not provided access to the educational tools they needed to be successful. Their families disproportionately experience high out-of-pocket educational expenses and will benefit greatly from Michigan Student Opportunity Accounts, with new funds for learning materials, occupational, behavioral, and speech therapies, tutoring, mental health services and much more.
Key Fact
Michigan Student Opportunity Accounts will benefit every student that needs them, in every community – both urban and rural.
Unlike scholarship programs that can only be used for private school tuition, Michigan Student Opportunity Accounts can be used for a wide variety of educational expenses, including transportation, tutoring and CTE/skilled trade programs.
This is an opportunity to provide every Michigan student access to new opportunities today that will prepare them for the real world tomorrow.