Michigan Homeschool Laws

1. Homeschooling under Michigan’s homeschool statute.
2. Homeschooling as a non-public school.

Homeschooling under Michigan’s homeschool statute. Parents who are teaching their own children at home under the homeschool statute are required to use an organized educational program covering reading, spelling, mathematics, science, history, civics, literature, writing, and English grammar. The statute does not require parents to notify local government or education authorities that they are homeschooling, and it specifically notes that parents are authorized to give home instruction.

Homeschooling as a non-public school. To homeschool your children by operating as a nonpublic school, you will need to follow these requirements.

1. Ensure that the instructor has the required qualifications, which include a teaching certificate, a teaching permit, or a bachelor’s degree. Parents who are instructing their children and who have a religious objection to teacher certification do not have to meet any of the above teacher requirements. However, this exception only applies when the parent is the instructor.
2. Provide annual notification at the beginning of each school year to the local public school superintendent that you are homeschooling as a non-public school. You must provide:
   • Name and age of each child enrolled in your school
   • Number or name of the school district and the city or township and county where the parent lives
   • Name and address of the parent
   • Name and age of any child enrolled in the school who is not in regular attendance.

The Michigan Department of Education is authorized to request, in writing, your nonpublic school’s records of pupil enrollment, courses of study, and qualifications of teachers. You do not need to submit this information unless it is requested in writing.

3. Teach the required subjects, which include math, reading, English, science, social studies, health, and physical education. High school students must also learn the U.S. Constitution, the Michigan Constitution, and the history and present form of civil government in the U.S., Michigan, and Michigan’s political subdivisions and municipalities

Here you’ll find websites for any questions you may have about education in the state of Michigan:

• Michigan State Board of Education: https://www.michigan.gov/mde/about/state-board
• Michigan Department of Education: https://www.michigan.gov/mde
• Michigan Association of School Boards: https://masb.org/your-local-school-board.aspx
• U.S. Department of Education – Michigan: https://www.ed.gov/contact-us/state-contacts/mi
• Michigan Education Association: https://mea.org/

List of Michigan school districts: https://ballotpedia.org/List_of_school_districts_in_Michigan

Whether you already homeschool in Michigan or are looking to do so, these resources are quite useful if you’re searching for support, co-ops, or answers to questions about homeschooling in your state.

• Michigan Christian Homeschool Network (MICHN): https://www.michn.org/
• Capitol Homeschool Athletic Program (CHAP) Chariots: https://www.chapchariots.org/
• Christian Home Educators of the Blue Water Area (CHEBWA): https://bluewaterhomeschool.com/
• Christian Homeschoolers of Northern Michigan: https://www.homeschool-life.com/mi/nch/?public=1
• Enrich Homeschooling Co-op: https://enrichhomeschool.blogspot.com/
• Explorers Homeschool Association: https://www.homeschool-life.com/MI/explorershsa/
• FAITH Falcons Homeschool Athletics: https://faithhomeschool.net/
• Faith Hometeam: https://www.faithhometeam.com/
• Families in Support of Homeschooling (FISH): https://fishomeschooling.wixsite.com/home1
• Genesee County Homeschoolers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GCHActivities/
• Grand Rapids Area Inclusive Network for Homeschoolers (GRAIN): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1415748305369346/
• Home Educators of Roscommon County (HEORC): https://roscommoncohomesch.wixsite.com/mysite
• Home Educators Music Association (HEMA): https://hema-band.weebly.com/
• Homeschool Connection (HSC) Co-op: https://www.washtenawhsc.org/
• Homeschool Music Association (HSMA): https://new.homeschoolmusic.net/
• Homes Organized for Meaningful Education (HOME), Flint: https://www.homehomeschool.com/index.html
• Homeschoolers of Ann Arbor: https://sites.google.com/site/homeschoolersofannarbor/home
• Homeschoolers of Jackson Michigan: https://www.facebook.com/groups/616784408390746/
• Lansing Homeschoolers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/419308058098160/
• Macomb County Homeschoolers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MacombCountyHomeschoolers/
• Meetups for Homeschoolers in the Ann Arbor Area: https://www.homeschool.com/supportgroups/united-states/mi/meetups-for-homeschoolers-in-the-ann-arbor-area/
• Micro Family Youth Soccer League: https://mfysl.weebly.com/
• National Homeschool Music Ensembles: https://www.nhme.org/
• No Place Like Home: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nplhhs/
• NRC Homeschool Connection: https://www.facebook.com/groups/322690401211417/
• Oakland County Homeschoolers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OCHSMI/
• Secular Homeschoolers of Southeast Michigan: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SHOLC/
• Tri-County Homeschooling & Families Network: https://www.facebook.com/groups/119886351407363/
• West Michigan Homeschool Fine Arts: https://www.wmhfa.org/
• 6 Stools & A Folding Chair Youth Theatre Company: https://www.facebook.com/6-Stools-a-Folding-Chair-Theatre-Company-143520999032754/

One of the many benefits of homeschooling is the flexibility to explore! Here are some ideas for amazing–and educational–field trips around the great state of Michigan!

• Air Zoo: Kalamazoo, MI
• Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art: Midland, MI
• Alfred P. Sloan Museum: Flint, MI
• Allegan County Children’s Museum: Fennville, MI
• American Museum of Magic: Marshall, MI
• Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum: Ann Arbor, MI
• Arab American National Museum: Dearborn, MI
• Automotive Hall of Fame: Dearborn, MI
• Belle Isle Nature Zoo: Royal Oak, MI
• Binder Park Zoo: Battle Creek, MI
• Blandford Nature Center: Grand Rapids, MI
• Boardman River Nature Center: Traverse City, MI
• Bug House at Michigan State University: East Lansing, MI
• Call of the Wild Museum: Gaylord, MI
• Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History: Detroit, MI
• Children’s Museum of Detroit: Detroit, MI
• Children’s Zoo at Celebration Square: Saginaw, MI
• Cindy Lou’s Zoo: Roscommon, MI
• Curious Kids’ Museum: St. Joseph, MI
• Deer Acres Storybook Amusement Park: Pinconning, MI
• Deer Forest Fun Park: Coloma, MI
• Delta College Planetarium and Learning Center: Bay City, MI
• Detroit Historical Museum: Detroit, MI
• Detroit Institute of Arts: Detroit, MI
• Detroit Zoological Park: Detroit, MI
• Dinosaur Gardens Prehistoric Zoo: Ossineke, MI
• Exhibit Museum of Natural History: Ann Arbor, MI
• Express Yourself Art Barn: Fennville, MI
• Flint Children’s Museum: Flint, MI
• Flint Institute of Arts & Music: Flint, MI
• GarLyn Zoological Park: Naubinway, MI
• Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum: Grand Rapids, MI
• Grand Rapids Children’s Museum: Grand Rapids, MI
• Great Lakes Children’s Museum: Greilickville, MI
• Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum: Muskegon, MI
• Henry Ford Estate – Fair Lane: Dearborn, MI
• Hudson Mills Metropark Activity Center: Dexter, MI
• Hurst Planetarium: Jackson, MI
• IMAX Detroit Science Center: Detroit, MI
• Impression 5 Science Center: Lansing, MI
• Indoor Children’s Garden and Butterfly House: East Lansing, MI
• Inland Seas Education Association: Suttons Bay, MI
• John Ball Zoological Garden: Grand Rapids, MI
• Kalamazoo Nature Center: Kalamazoo, MI
• Kensington Metropark Nature Center: Milford, MI
• Kids ‘N Stuff: An Interactive Experience for Kids: Albion, MI
• Kingman Museum: Battle Creek, MI
• Love Creek Nature Center: Berrien Center, MI
• Michigan Historical Museum: Lansing, MI
• Michigan SEA LIFE Aquarium: Auburn Hills, MI
• Michigan Women’s Historical Center and Hall of Fame: Lansing, MI
• Minibeast Zooseum and Education Center: Lansing, MI
• Motown Historical Museum: Detroit, MI
• The New Detroit Science Center: Detroit, MI
• Outdoor Discovery Center: Holland, MI
• Potter Park Zoological Gardens: Lansing, MI
• Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum: Marquette, MI
• Walter P. Chrysler Museum: Auburn Hills, MI
• Wilderness Trails Zoo: Birch Run, MI
• Wittenbach-Wege Agriscience & Environmental Educational Nature Center: Lowell, MI
• Your Heritage House Fine Arts Museum for Youth: Detroit, MI