Homeschooling in Michigan: Guidance for Getting Started

The official state motto for Michigan is, “Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice,” which means “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.” Not only is Michigan pleasant in terms of nature and geography, it’s pleasant in terms of homeschooling! 

According to Sonlight families who are homeschooling in Michigan, yes, it’s easy to homeschool in The Mitten State! Jamie K. from Lake City, Michigan says,

Very easy! No registration, reporting, or testing needed...which I would say should be the case in every state.”

In general, families consider a state easy to homeschool in when the regulation is looser. HSLDA classifies Michigan as a no notice, low regulation state.

Cindy F. is a Sonlight mom from Ann Arbor who says,

Michigan makes it easy to homeschool, with no reports or registration required.” But there are requirements outlined in the law, so keep reading to find out what you’ll need to homeschool in the Wolverine State. 

Michigan stats for homeschoolers mirror the nation as a whole with about 5% opting for school at home.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s listing of Michigan State Regulations, “Parents or guardians that register their home schools must have a minimum of a bachelor's degree to be qualified to teach their children.”

However, there’s a religious exemption clause which overcomes this requirement: “Families whose religious beliefs preclude the teacher certification requirements are exempt.”

Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states of America. Any parent or guardian in Michigan may educate their children at home. Everyone is eligible as long as the college degree requirement is met (or the religious exemption is taken).

Yes, unschooling is legal in Michigan as long as the curriculum and subject requirements are met. There is no Michigan homeschooling unschooling affidavit required.

The law states that parents and guardians have the right to educate their children at home. So while you may opt to outsource some teaching, join a co-op, or enroll your child in online classes, ultimately the responsibility lies with you, the parent. 

No, there is no letter of intent for homeschooling in Michigan. And no reporting is required.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s listing of Michigan State Regulations, “The annual reporting of a home school to the MDE is voluntary. It is not required unless the student has special needs and is requesting special education services from the local public school or intermediate school district.”

When switching from public school to homeschooling in Michigan, it’s recommended to officially withdraw your child so there are no truancy issues. 

Michigan uses the phrase “an organized educational program” in its requirements for homeschooling. At its basic meaning, this is the very definition of a curriculum.

So, yes, you need a curriculum when homeschooling in Michigan. But besides the list of academic areas to cover, there are no other stipulations. You can devise the curriculum yourself as long as it’s an organized educational plan or you can use a pre-made program created by experts. 

When it comes to homeschooling programs in Michigan, you can choose from any organized educational program that ticks the boxes of reading, spelling, math, science, history, civics, literature, writing, and English grammar. 

For instance, a Sonlight All-Subjects Package is far more than Michigan’s list of nine topics. An ASP is your best curriculum for homeschooling in Michigan because you know your children are meeting all the Michigan state requirements and so much more! 

Or you can mix and max specific programs for a more eclectic approach. You could use an organized math program from one publisher and an organized spelling program from another vendor. 

There is no formal avenue for homeschool accountability in Michigan—no annual portfolio or reporting. 

But to protect yourself, it’s wise to keep records so you can prove you’ve used an organized educational program. Being able to show progress in your student’s skills is also valuable. This can be as simple as keeping periodic samples of work and/or keeping grades for assignments, quizzes, and tests.

No, Michigan education laws do not mandate or require homeschooling testing. However, homeschool students may participate in state assessments by contacting the resident school district. In that case, a homeschool student's test scores will be reported individually to the student and not included in district data.

Thankfully, the must-haves are minimal: curriculum and supplies, a way to keep records, time/energy, and a space for learning. The low regulation means you have a plethora of options for homeschooling in Michigan, and you get to be the person to make the important decisions for your children. Homeschooling is totally doable in the Mitten State!

School is required for ages 6-18 in Michigan. Since there are no specific requirements about offering kindergarten, and kindergarten is typically done at age 5, yes,  you can skip that grade entirely. 

Kindergarten is optional in Michigan. You may opt to begin formal schooling with first grade at age 6 (either in public school or at home by homeschooling).

And of course, pre-K and preschool are not required either. 

However, homeschooling kindergarten in Michigan is very popular! And there’s no reason to skip this precious school year if your child is ready to start a gentle approach to academics. 

Sonlight History / Bible / Literature K is a beautiful option for ages 5 or 6, so you could use it for kindergarten or for first grade.

You can homeschool a child their entire educational career from preschool through high school graduation at 12th grade. Or you can opt to homeschool for a briefer period of one, two, or more years.

Just because you start homeschooling at age 6 doesn’t mean you’re bound to homeschool forever—although you can, and many families do! Other families homeschool for just a handful of years and then return to public school or private school. 

And other families start out with public school, see a problem, and choose to homeschool for a few years or until high school graduation. Every family’s homeschool pattern is unique. 

As per our extensive guide How Much Does Homeschooling Cost, the annual expense to homeschool one child ranges from $500 to $2500 per school year. 

As you can see from that range, homeschooling can be expensive or affordable. It all depends on how much money you choose to spend. The good news for Michiganders with more modest family budgets is that homeschooling can be done well with a frugal mindset. 

Typically, the largest single expense is curriculum, so shop for 

• a program that’s 100% worth the cost
• one that you can use again in future years with younger siblings
• one that builds a family library to cherish (not workbooks to toss)
• one with a money-back guarantee
• one that allows you to teach multiple students at once
• one with a payment plan to spread the expense across several months

Michigan does not have a school voucher program for home homeschooling. Michigan Revised School Code states that “Home school families are responsible for purchasing the textbooks and instructional materials of their choice. School districts are not required to provide curriculum, textbooks, or materials to home school families.” 

So, no, Michigan does not pay for homeschooling. There is no state funding for homeschooling in Michigan nor any Michigan grants for homeschooling. Any costs incurred, including covering the required academic subjects, is the responsibility of the homeschool parent, and you cannot get money from the state for homeschooling.

No, homeschooling is not a tax-deductible expense in Michigan.

Homeschooling has no impact on your obligation to pay local, state, and federal taxes. You don’t receive any tax credit, tax deduction, or tax savings as a result of not sending your children to public schools.

Although Michigan prescribes certain academic subjects that must be covered, there are no requirements that your “organized education program” has to cost money. So legally, yes, you could homeschool in Michigan for free assuming you could devise your own organized curriculum and find the books, workbooks, and other resources at no cost. 

But just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s advised to do free homeschooling in Michigan. Your time is better spent enjoying your children and the lovely state of Michigan than scouring the internet for freebies and piecing together a possibly gap-ridden plan of study.

You’ll rest easy by buying a complete curriculum that ticks all the MI requirements. Then you can supplement with free homeschooling resources.

Just like earlier years, Michigan gives you great latitude at the high school years. You are still required to have an organized educational program that includes reading, spelling, math, science, history, civics, literature, writing, and English grammar each school year. 

Further, in grades 10, 11, and 12, there are additional topical requirements related to civic education: 

• The Constitution of the United States
• The Constitution of Michigan
• United States history & government
• State of Michigan history & government

Aside from those stipulations, you are free to design your own 4-year high school plan. A major consideration is what your teen will want to do after high school graduation. If college is a goal, then make sure to check college entrance requirements as you craft a plan for high school. 

While health is not listed in the required subjects to be taught at the high school level for homeschoolers, it’s a smart choice to include anyway! One half credit of health is required for high school graduation from a Michigan public school. Before you skip health, be sure to check the requirements of your teen’s preferred college to see if health is possibly a requirement.