The Trump administration and state Republicans keep pushing for Michigan to adopt a new school voucher-style program—but it’s something voters here have already rejected before.

While supporters say the program expands educational options, critics warn it would divert funding from our already-struggling public schools.

Read on as The ’Gander’s Kyle Kaminski brings us the details.

Plus: In an exclusive interview, Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson said she’ll protect access to reproductive care.

Michigan legislature continues slow roll (Bridge Michigan): Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has received just seven bills from Michigan’s divided Legislature so far in 2026, continuing a historically slow pace. It’s just a slight improvement over last year’s record-setting slow start, when lawmakers finalized just six bills in six months.

Whitmer calls for federal regulations to protect kids on social media (Michigan Advance): Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called for federal regulation of social media companies at a summit in East Lansing on Tuesday, saying greater accountability is needed to protect kids. She criticized Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and highlighted recent court rulings against his platforms over algorithm impacts on children.

Lawmaker introduces effort to increase drain assessment transparency (FOX 47): Surprise drain assessments in Michigan—some exceeding $40,000—are prompting bipartisan legislation to improve transparency and extend appeal deadlines. State Rep. Angela Witwer said the proposal would give residents more notice when they have to pay for drain repairs and upkeep and increase the appeal window from 10 to 60 days.

(The ‘Gander TikTok)

Last week, President Donald Trump’s education secretary flew to Michigan with one mission: pressuring our governor to sign on to a school voucher scheme that Michiganders already voted down once. She held a press conference, she wrote an op-ed, and if she gets her way, it could fundamentally change what public education looks like in this state.

Here’s the deal: The program is called the Education Freedom Tax Credit. It was one of many things tucked inside Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, and it works like this: Wealthy donors give money to private, nonprofit scholarship organizations. In turn, they get every dollar back as a federal tax credit. And those organizations then hand out the money to families to cover things like private school tuition, homeschooling, and other education costs.

Governors in at least 29 states have already signed up for the program. Almost all of them Republican. And if you’ve been in Michigan long enough, this should feel familiar, because it’s basically the same scheme that Betsy DeVos has tried to force on this state for years. The same one Whitmer vetoed in 2021, the same one that stalled out before it could make the ballot in 2023. And the same one that Michigan voters have been repeatedly rejecting at the ballot box for decades. So why is it back?

Because now this same type of scheme is baked into federal law, and all it takes is a governor’s signature to unlock it here. Last week, US Education Secretary Linda McMahon flew to Hamtramck, specifically to make that ask. She stood in front of cameras at a charter school and told Whitmer to opt in. Republican lawmakers in Lansing are also pushing Whitmer to sign on.

But here’s the thing: Data from similar programs already running in other states shows the vast majority of these scholarships are going out to students who were already in private school before the program existed.

So what? Well, Whitmer hasn’t said yes. She’s calling it a high-level talking point, and there’s not enough detail yet to make a call. That’s not exactly a full-throated rejection. It’s not a signature, either. Still, the Trump administration is counting on this pressure campaign eventually working. And if Michigan ends up with a Republican governor after 2026, it almost certainly will.

Get the full story in this edition of “so what, Michigan?“

Sec. Jocelyn Benson meets with Michiganders and members of Reproductive Freedom for All Michigan in Detroit on March 19, 2026. (Reproductive Freedom for All)

By Lucas Henkel

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson isn’t afraid to go toe to toe with Donald Trump. 

While working alongside Michigan lawmakers to challenge what she calls an “illegal” executive order targeting mail-in voting, Sec. Benson is also charging ahead with her campaign for governor of Michigan. She tells The ‘Gander that, if elected, she will stand up to anyone—including the Trump administration—to protect rights like voting access and reproductive health care for all Michiganders. 

By Abby Deatrick

Welcome to your weekly roundup of Michigan political events, protests, rallies, advocacy opportunities, and ways to take action statewide.

📅 Friday (April 10)

Red Wine & Blue: Brighton’s Vision for Funded Schools (Brighton, 10 a.m.) — Connect with other advocates and learn about local issues, the May 5th election, and ways you can get involved to help pass the Brighton School Bond.

New People Foundation: No AI Data Centers in Michigan Statewide Rally (Houghton, 6 p.m.) — Rallies urging elected officials to act upon the overwhelming bipartisan public opposition to data center expansion. Additional rallies against data centers will take place across the state on this day.

📅 Saturday (April 11)

Mothering Justice: Opening Libation Ceremony (Detroit, 6 p.m.) — A libation ceremony to kick off Black Maternal Health Week. The gathering will include reflection, ritual, connection, and opportunities to get involved in advancing maternal health justice.

New People Foundation: No AI Data Centers in Michigan Statewide Rallies (various locations) — Rallies urging elected officials to act upon the overwhelming bipartisan public opposition to data center expansion.

📅 Sunday (April 12)

Equality Michigan: Reclaiming MI Pride (Grand Rapids, 5:30 p.m.) — Join community members, volunteers, and community leaders to discuss building lasting power around LGBTQ+ equality, community support, and collective action in Michigan. Registered guests will receive light appetizers and drink tickets.

Michigan United Action: Money Out of Politics Orientation (virtual, 6:30 p.m.) — Learn about the ballot initiative to get money out of politics and how you can get involved.

📣 Have an event to add? Email Abigail Deatrick, The ’Gander’s state organizing coordinator, with details. Please send submissions at least one week before the event.

📬 Was this forwarded to you? Sign up to get This Week in Michigan Politics in your inbox every week.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Karel Vega with stories from Kyle Kaminski, Lucas Henkel, and Abby Deatrick. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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