Rep. Betsy Coffia, the Democratic incumbent in House District 103, says she prioritizes funding public education. According to Rep. Coffia, “As a social worker who served public schools in northern Michigan, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of funding early childhood education. I want to ensure our public school educators have the resources they need, and that students have access to mental and physical health care. As right wing extremists attack the foundational principles of public education, I commit to standing with educators.” 

In 2023, Rep. Coffia voted for an education budget bill that increased per-student funding by $458, expanded the state’s pre-K program, and provided funds for free school meals. 

Rep. Coffia is running against Republican Lisa Trombley. 

Trombley says she will work to restore “parental rights” and that “parents have the right to direct the education of their children.” 

Trombley has been endorsed by the Great Lakes Education Project, which supports directing funding away from traditional public schools and towards school vouchers for private and charter schools. The Great Lakes Education Project was founded by Betsy DeVos, who served as Donald Trump’s Secretary of Education and is an outspoken advocate for private school vouchers. The Great Lakes Education Project describes itself as an organization that supports “quality choices in public education for all Michigan students” and empowers “parental choice in our schools.”