As a graduate of Michigan State University (Go Green!), I consider myself fortunate to have had the experience to reside in The Mitten for a few years.
For those of you who live in Michigan currently, did you know that you have the right to homeschool your children, based on the Michigan Compiled Laws? All you need to do is educate your child at home through an organized educational program.
If homeschooling or online homeschooling in Michigan is something that is of interest to you, we have an introductory guide to help get you started…or at least to familiarize you with what would be expected of you in your homeschooling role. Let’s jump right into requirements for homeschooling in Michigan.
The parent or legal guardian is responsible for providing the homeschool education. The parent assigns schoolwork and homework, assessments, and is responsible for grading all assessments (see later in this blogpost for information about standardized testing). This parent is also responsible for issuing report cards, transcripts, and diplomas (if applicable).
This parent does not need to be certified as a teacher in Michigan; they also do not need a permit or occupational authorization. However, this parent must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to be approved unless they claim against teacher certification due to a genuinely held religious belief.
The following content areas must be included in instruction in all grade levels:
The following content areas must also be included in instruction in grades 10, 11, and 12:
Students may choose to enroll in other (nonessential) elective classes at a nearby public school, depending on that district’s enrollment policy.
You do NOT need to report your plan to homeschool to your local school district or to the Michigan Department of Education (although it is encouraged to eliminate attendance and truancy issues!), unless you are requesting eligible special education services for your child. If you are requesting SpEd services, you must communicate this each and every homeschool year.
Homeschooling parents are encouraged to keep student progress records throughout each academic year. This will allow for a smoother transition back to public schools, should that ever be necessary.
Since school districts do not have to provide curriculum, textbooks, or other resources to homeschooling families, those homeschool families are responsible for buying any instructional materials of their choosing.
Homeschooled students do not have to take required standardized tests. If they would like, homeschooling families can choose for their students to participate in state testing at their local public school.
The Michigan Department of Education has some additional information about legislation, registering, and further instructions. All of this information can be found at the Michigan homeschool website at www.michigan.gov/homeschool. If you have further questions, you can also email nonpublicschools@michigan.gov.
If you are feeling overwhelmed about any of these homeschooling requirements in Michigan or in any state, or if you would just like some clarification on any of these expectations, we also have academic advisors at Dailies that are ready to chat with you. Go to dailiespods.com to find out more about contacting us!
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Jennifer Blanchard Read all posts by this author