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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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...
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.
People v. DeJonge (1993)
The DeJonge case approached the quest for the right to homeschool from a religious convictions standpoint. The ruling essentially granted a state-wide religious exemption from teacher certification to all parents who are opposed to teacher certification on religious grounds.
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.
Michigan Home School Laws from HSLDA
The Home School Legal Defense Association provides a brief summary of the homeschooling laws in Michigan. Includes a link to a legal analysis of laws relating to homeschooling in Michigan.
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...
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.
Nonpublic School Membership Report
This is a Michigan Department of Education form.
Clonlara v. State Board of Education (1993)
In 1993, the Michigan Supreme Court in Clonlara, Inc v State Board of Education (442 Mich 252) ruled that the Nonpublic School Act did not require a nonpublic school to be in session for 180 days required for public schools.
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...
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.
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...
Michigan Department of Education
At this website, you will find information and contact information for the Michigan Department of Education.
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...
Court Upholds Enrollment Requirement for Athletic Eligibility
The Michigan Court of Appeals has rejected a claim that home schooled students have a right to participate in extracurricular interscholastic athletic programs in the school districts where they reside. This decision by the Court of Appeals, Reid, et al. v Kenowa Hills Public Schools, et al., affirms that the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) and school districts can require students to be enrolled in and passing at least twenty credit hours (per week) in order to be eligible to ...
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Featured Resources
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A History of Science
A History of Science is not a textbook, but is a guide to help parents and children study science through literature. It is intended for children in elementary grades.
Montessori Reading
Montessori Reading is a beginning reading and writing program for elementary aged children. This series of books introduce phonetic letter sounds, phonogram combinations, reading simple sentences, and reading and writing words that name everyday obje...
The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home
This book will instruct you, step by step, on how to give your child an academically rigorous, comprehensive education from preschool through high school. Two veteran home educators outline the classical pattern of education—the trivium—which organiz...
I Learn Better by Teaching Myself/Still Teaching Ourselves
Take a look at how a homeschooling mother learned to trust her children-and herself-to learn in new ways. Tag along on the journey from the elementary years through high school as this book explore the success and freedom of unstructured learning. Th...
A Reason For® Handwriting
A Reason For® Handwriting provides a fun, meaningful approach to developing effective handwriting skills. Each lesson is built around a Scripture verse chosen not only for proper letter combinations, but also inspirational content. “Border Sheets” en...