Legal/Homeschool Laws
Laws that regulate home education vary from state to state. It is important to understand the legal requirements in your state and to be aware of legislative and other legal issues that affect homeschoolers in your community. We've compiled resources that will help you become informed. Although homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, and the vast majority of homeschoolers face no problems, you may find that you need legal assistance at some point in your homeschooling career. We've compiled a list of resources to help you find the support you need. And if you'd like to become more involved in working towards homeschooling freedoms, we discuss some of the issues facing homeschoolers that we hope you find compelling.
State Laws
Read the laws regulating home education in Michigan and browse through the case law and legal opinions relating to those laws, along with government publications relating to homeschooling and summaries of the laws.
Forms
Which forms do you need to fill out? Where can you get them? Here is a list of useful forms for homeschooling in Michigan.
Legal Support
If you need legal information or have run into a legal situation regarding your decision to homeschool, these resources will be helpful.
Lobbying Groups
A listing of local and national lobbying groups and information on how you can become involved in the political process to ensure the freedom to homeschool is protected.
Attorneys
When searching for an attorney, it is helpful to know whether he or she has experience working with homeschoolers and is interested in protecting the right to homeschool.
Legal Issues
Is homeschooling legal? Which laws pertain to homeschoolers and which don't? How do homeschoolers protect their rights to freely educate their children and to preserve their privacy?
Government Resources
A listing of local and state government resources, including your state's Department of Education, school districts, and Senate and House of Representative information.
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380.1561 Compulsory attendance at public school; enrollment dates; exceptions.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, every parent, guardian, or other person in this state having control and charge of a child from the age of 6 to the child's sixteenth birthday shall send that child to a public school during the entire school year. The child's attendance shall be continuous and consecutive for the school year fixed by the school district in which the child is enrolled. In a school district that maintains school during the entire calendar year and in which the sch...
388.551 Private, denominational, and parochial schools; etc.
The superintendent of public instruction has supervision of all the private, denominational, and parochial schools of this state in such matters and manner as provided in this act. The superintendent of public instruction shall employ assistants and employees as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of this act. The number of assistants and employees is subject to the approval of the state administrative board. The salaries and expenses shall be paid by the state treasurer from the fund...
Michigan Department of Education Information on Nonpublic and Home Schools
This document is published by the Department of Education and is designed to assist homeschooling parents with their questions regarding home education in the state of Michigan.
Home Education Options Under Michigan Law
A basic summary of the options available to home educating parents in Michigan. Discusses Michigan's compulsory school attendance law, home educating under execption (3)(a) as a non-public school, home educating under execption (3)(f) as a non-public school, the Michigan Department of Education's position on the exemptions, and the role of local and intermediate school districts.
Information Network for Christian Homes (INCH)
Information Network for Christian Homes (INCH) serves families interested or involved in home education by providing the information, resources and encouragement needed to teach their children at home in the state of Michigan, and to work to ensure the continued freedom to do so.
Reid v. Kenowa Hills Public Schools (2004)
On March 2, 2004, the Court of Appeals of Michigan affirmed a trial court grant of summary judgment for a school district finding that Michigan statutes do not require public schools to allow home schooled children to participate in extracurricular athletics.
Nonpublic & Home Schools
This information is provided by the Michigan Department of Education.
Protecting the Frontiers of Home Education
A look at the fight to preserve homeschooling freedoms in the state of Michigan. Contains suggestions to try to build bridges, not barriers, with the leadership of communities and government– so that the front lines of Christian liberties, which includes the right to homeschool, and Judeo Christian values are not only securely guarded, but “diplomats” are recognized should an “assault from enemy lines come our way.” Relationships like bridges are built over time, not overnight. We all bear a res...
388.553 Private, denominational and parochial schools; teachers, qualifications, examinations.
No person shall teach or give instruction in any of the regular or elementary grade studies in any private, denominational or parochial school within this state who does not hold a certificate such as would qualify him or her to teach in like grades of the public schools of the state: Provided, however, That any person who shall have taught in any elementary school or schools of the standard specified in this act for a period of 10 years or more preceding the passage of this act, shall, upon fil...
Teacher Certification Requirements for the State of Michigan
This Department of Education document lists the basic requirements to become certified to teach in the state of Michigan.
Sheridan Road Baptist Church v. Department of Education (1984)
The Nonpublic School Membership Report (Form SM4325) is an annual report used by the Department. Information requested on the form includes the number of students in each grade, teacher qualifications, and the course of study offered. Use of the form is authorized by section 5 of the Nonpublic School Act, and was approved by the Michigan Supreme Court in Sheridan Road Baptist Church v Department of Education.
Legal Issues in Michigan
A brief history of the legal situation regarding home schooling in Michigan.
Snyder v. Charlotte Schools (1984)
Snyder v Charlotte Public School District held that private school students have a statutory right to enroll in “non-core” classes at public schools.
388.555 School investigation and examination; failure to permit, cause for suspension.
The superintendent of public instruction by himself, his assistants, or any duly authorized agent, shall have authority at any time to investigate and examine into the conditions of any school operating under this act as to the matters hereinbefore set forth and it shall be the duty of such school to admit such superintendent, his assistants or authorized agents and to submit for examination its sanitary condition, the records of enrollment of pupils, its courses of studies as set forth in secti...
Instructions for Completing Form SM-4325
The Nonpublic School Membership Report, form SM-4325, is sent annually to all nonpublic schools, including home schools. This form is the Department of Education’s method of gathering information about the schools.
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Featured Resources
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The Mystery of History
The Mystery of History series is another alternative to traditional textbooks. The five volume set covers history from creation to present day, with a biblical worldview. This series is intended for grades K-8. Note that at this time, this series is ...
A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning
Now you can realize the joy filled homeschool of your dreams! This modern classic is written by the homeschool mom who first carried Charlotte Mason's writings to America in her suitcase in 1987. Miss Mason's books were soon republished for a new gen...
More Charlotte Mason Education: A Home Schooling How-To Manual
After providing an important work in explaining the Charlotte Mason method for homeschoolers, Catherine Levison goes deeper into the use of this method in the home with her subsequent work. This book expands the information from the first book and of...
Writing Strands & Reading Strands
This program is based on research which shows that there is no useable relationship between the study of grammar as an abstracted skill and the ability to communicate. Writing Strands provides quality reading, writing and speech materials for homesch...
So You're Thinking About Homeschooling: Fifteen Families Show How You Can Do It
Confused and intimidated by the complexities of homeschooling, many sincere parents never get past the "thinking about it" stage. Now Lisa Whelchel - herself a homeschooling mother of three - introduces fifteen real families and shows how they overc...