Monday, November 11, 2013

Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling in Michigan

Pin It

Whether you live in Michigan or ever plan to visit, Jen (from Forever, For Always, No Matter What) and I have compiled everything you need to know to make the most of your homeschooling experience here.  We want to share all these great homeschooling opportunities with you!

Today I am going to share with you about Michigan Homeschool Laws, Homeschool Conventions, Book Fairs, and Educational Stores.  Make sure to visit Forever, For Always, No Matter What to learn about Homeschool Co-Ops & Support Groups in Michigan, and also Extracurricular Opportunities.

We also want to offer you all of this information in an ebook so that you can conveniently access it whenever you want.  As a bonus, in the ebook we have included over 500 field trip ideas, broken down by city, so wherever you travel you will have something educational to do!

I am offering this 42 page Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling in Michigan ebook free to anyone who subscribes to my new weekly newsletter.  Subscribe below and you will receive the link to download this ebook in your first newsletter.



Michigan Homeschool Laws



Michigan is a great place to homeschool!  In fact, it is one of the best places in the nation.  Homeschoolers have a lot of freedom in Michigan.  Even so, there are a few things you should know.

  • Michigan law requires parents (or legal guardians) to send their children to school from ages six to sixteen (eighteen if they turn 11 after December 1, 2009 or enter 6th grade after 2009), with the exception of parent who educate their child(ren) at home in an organized educational program.

  • All responsibility for education rests on the parents, including: assignments, tests, grading, and issuing a diploma if the child is educated at home through grade 12.

  •  There is not a compulsory number of days per year that you must 'do school' in Michigan.

  • Registering your homeschool in Michigan is voluntary (with the exception of special needs students who are requesting services from their local schools.)

  • Registering your homeschool in Michigan is suggested (by the state).  This would classify your homeschool as a "non-public school."  The state reserves the right to involve a truancy officer if the district has not been notified.

  •  If you register your homeschool, you must have a teaching certificate or bachelor's degree in order to teach.  This requirement is waived, thought, if they have an object to this based upon a religious belief.

  • If you register your homeschool, you must also provide records of enrollment, courses of study, and teaching qualifications upon request. 

  • What subjects must be taught?

    • Math (all grades)
    • English (all grades)
    • Science (all grades)
    • Social Studies (all grades)
    • U.S. Constitution (10, 11, or 12th grade)
    • Michigan Constitution (10, 11, or 12th grade)
    • The history and current form of civil government of the U.S., Michigan, and the political subdivisions and municipalities of Michigan (10, 11, or 12th grade)

  • Homeschool students are able to take elective classes in their local public school.

  • No standardized testing is required for homeschoolers in Michigan, though they may choose to take the Michigan Educational Assement Program (MEAP) and the Michigan Merit Examination (MME) at their local school.  There is no cost for these tests if you choose to have your child take them.

  • Including homeschoolers in public school athletics is determined locally, so contact your local school if you are interested in learning more about that. 


In summary, you have two options:

  • You operate is a homeschool

    • You do not need to give notice that you are homeschooling
    • You do not need to keep records
    • You do not need to have any degree or teaching certificate
    • You do not have to have your children take standardized tests

  • You operate as a non-public school

    • You must submit notification to your public school that you are teaching your children at home
    • You must be able to provide records of enrollment, course of study, and teaching qualification upon request
    • You must have a bachelor degree or teaching certificate in order to teach your children
    • You do not have to have your children take standardized tests

For further information and more detail, take a look at these websites:

Michigan Book Fairs


Small book fairs pop up in many areas from time to time, so keep your eyes out for those.  Here are a few of the bigger, annual book fairs.



Educational Stores in Michigan


Find stores to help you homeschool in your area.  Here I am listing only the stores with websites (broken down by cities).  If you would like the entire list of stores, subscribe below to receive the complete ebook.

Berkley

 Dearborn

Detroit

Fenton

Frankenmuth
Grand Rapids
Jackson
Port Huron
Portage

Riverview
Royal Oak
Sterling Heights
Three Rivers

Warren

West Bloomfield




Make sure to visit Forever, For Always, No Matter What to learn about Homeschool Co-Ops & Support Groups in Michigan, and also Extracurricular Opportunities.



Remember!  I am offering this 42 page Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling in Michigan ebook free to anyone who subscribes to my new weekly newsletter.  Subscribe below and you will receive the link to download this ebook in your first newsletter.  As a bonus, in the ebook we have included over 500 field trip ideas, broken down by city, so wherever you travel you will have something educational to do!

 photo SubscribeButton_zpsdc17ac56.png

33 comments:

  1. Very nice write up for homeschooling in MI. There is also the 'Home School Building' in Grand Rapids. They have a store, they also have a used curriculum section, along with a gym, library, and classes to take. Great job in giving us a place to help people get started homeschooling here, thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for sharing that group! I added it to the ebook!

      Delete
    2. The HSB is an instrumental resource for MI home educators! https://www.mihsb.org/

      Delete
    3. The Teacher's Center in Portage went out of business.

      Delete
  2. Are there any events coming up at the end of this month or in December?

    What areas do you think are the most homeschool friendly? Hubby has job in Detroit, so looking 1-1 1/2 hrs from there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't know how I missed your comment, I'm sorry! The west side of the state is probably most homeschool friendly, but I am in metro Detroit and there is no lack of homeschoolers here! Sorry again for the late reply, but if you still have any specific questions, let me know! You can even email me directly using the Contact tab up top.

      Delete
  3. My son is currently in public school, he is more advanced than they will give him credit, and I have voiced my opinion to the teacher and the principal, but the principal shot me down, saying "The teacher knows best." I am currently looking for information on homeschooling to remedy this situation, because I believe my son shouldn't learn to settle, just because his teacher has 24 other students to teach and doesn't want to take the extra time to teach him more, and they won't even think about advancing him because of this. Please could someone email me about getting started? I would greatly appreciate it! Kayeaton47@Gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. So if I choose to homeschool my son I just have to take him out of school and notify them he is being home scooled I don't have to contact the board of education or anyone else just tell the school and let it go from there????????

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I sent my kids to public school until 5th grade then pulled them out. I did send a certified letter return receipt indicating that I was seeking alternate education to the school they were attending. Other than that, I did nothing. Hope that helps.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for sharing your experience! I think a letter is a great thing to do when you are pulling a child from a school. You don't want them wondering where you child is and sending someone from the state to come find out ;)

      Delete
  5. So if I choose to homeschool my son I just have to take him out of school and notify them he is being home scooled I don't have to contact the board of education or anyone else just tell the school and let it go from there????????

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I definitely recommend notifying the school so that they don't wonder where he is and send over someone to check. Michigan does no require any sort of homeschool registration, so you do not need to notify the state. I didn't take my kids out of school (we have homeschooled from the beginning) so you might also want to check with someone who has in case they have any advice specific to your situation!

      Delete
  6. I need help with a few questions on home schooling my son if anyone is out there can help please email me @philipbean86@gmail.com ....

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey All!! My daughter is still young at 8 months old but my husband and I have made the decision to homeschool but we are new to this. I have a master degree in chemistry and he has a bachelor's degree in history. I was wondering if any of you had advice on a program that is not all internet-based we are still somewhat home old school where we want her to have workbooks and have to read out of a book use a workbook and then do some things online but not everything being online. Also we want to make sure that after K through 12 she will earn a diploma so if she chooses to go to college she will have graduated with a high school diploma and I guess I'm just having a hard time when I'm researching some of these options on how exactly I would go about making sure that my daughter gets a high school diploma. I don't know we're also looking into coops to make sure that she is socialized. If you could give me an email back at logank2005@yahoo.com I would be very appreciative!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The amazing thing about hoemschooling is there are SO many options! You can piece subjects/curriculum together, or go with a 'box' curriculum. Check out Veritas Press, Memoria Press, Ambleside Online, and start building your own personal library. My advice would be to take it one step at a time, you have lots of time to figure out exactly how you want to do this!

      Delete
  8. Thanks for getting the word out about homeschooling in Michigan. Just wanted to point out that this is incorrect: "U.S. Constitution (10, 11, or 12th grade)
    Michigan Constitution (10, 11, or 12th grade)
    The history and current form of civil government of the U.S., Michigan, and the political subdivisions and municipalities of Michigan (10, 11, or 12th grade)"
    That is for those who register as private schools, not independent homeschoolers. I always suggest that people read the actual law, not the department of education interpretations, as it has been noted that many state's DOE documents on homeschooling contain errors.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hey! I'm new to Michigan and homeschooling. Sorry for all the questions but I'm trying to figure things out. So I don't have to register with the state but I can but I'd need a bachelor's degree. If you don't they have the right to send a truancy officer or is that if you do register?
    Do you suggest being registered then?
    What exactly is an "an organized educational program"? Could this be my own program? We do lesson plans and whatnot so I feel "organized" but does that mean an official online program or co-op group?
    Thank you for all the info! I really appreciate your post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We just finished our first year, so I will try to answer to the best of my ability. We claim exemption F - which basically states that the child is being educated at home by the parent. I do not register with the state, but I did inform his local school so they would know what was going on and avoid a truancy officer visit.

      From my understanding, if you want to register your school it would be for added benefits that the state would provide - credits, special education services, etc.. This is where the bachelor's degree is needed. My son actually did have an IEP for autism, but I decided giving up the school services was worth the advantages gained with home schooling.

      I define an organized program as one that covers all subjects required: reading, spelling, mathematics, science, history, civics, literature, writing, and grammar. Each subject has clearly defined goals and a process to achieve those goals. Basically I run my homeschool like I would anticipate a visit from the state. I keep records, a portfolio of work samples, and curriculum that I could show to someone what my son is learning and how. I purchase curriculum rather than try to pull it together myself. IEW for writing, Math U See, Trail Guide to World Geography are just a few examples.

      Delete
    2. What do you mean you file exempt F? Who do you file that with? I want to homeschool but I have no idea where to start. We have already started the school year and 3 weeks in, my son is sad and miserable every day. I have looked into online academies and they all have terrible reviews. I would love to know a starting point.

      Delete
    3. Jessica, you do not need to file anything in Michigan. I'm sorry that your son is not enjoying homeschooling yet. Was he in a classroom setting last year? You both might need to ease into the idea of homeschooling. Try spending time reading to each other, getting outside, and don't try to fill 6 hours of time each day. Feel free to email me (contact form above) if you need some encouragement!

      Delete
    4. Laura, How is it going so far? Sorry for my delayed response, but I'm glad that other's helped! I have never heard of anyone having trouble in Michigan, so I wouldn't worry to much about it. I do not recommend registering as there is no need here. The idea is that they want you teaching your children, it is not that you need them in an approved "organizational program."

      Delete
  10. What religion or beliefs qualify for you to NOT have a degree? My child has been getting ill over and over again from the other kids, and she learns differently and at a different pace than the others. I've noticed the general kindergarten curriculum is extremely harsh and advanced, for 5 year old children to get ahead. The homework load is also outrageous. I need help getting my child ahead, and I don't feel she's able to do that in her particular schools setting. Any information on degrees and religion, I'd be forever grateful

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi my son is not happy in his school and does not want to do another day there I need to get a 10 th grade curriculum asap like today to get him started can anyone tell me where I can get his curriculum and books like now?

    ReplyDelete
  12. I need a prepared curriculum for 10 th grade like yesterday. So confused can anyone tell me where I can get this and books asap?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are many curriculum choices available if you search online. Honestly, I am not very familiar with high school, but you might want to look into an all-in-one boxed curriculum since you are just getting started. Try looking into Sonlite https://www.sonlight.com/10MSP.html , Veritas Press, or even an online option like Time for Learning https://www.time4learning.com/homeschool/grade/tenth_grade.html . Just pick something to get started and you can always change once you learn more about what is out there and what would work best for you son. Enjoy!

      Delete
    2. Hi Amy. :) First Nice blog! I'm a student of web development still haven't made a blog yet. I receive gov assistance for my disability. I recently received a request for either a non-pub membership report, curriculum, or school enrollment verification. I'm not registered as a non-pub. Any suggestions??

      Delete
  13. Hey amy nice blog. web dev student here from Mich. Theres a simple way to move the most recent comments to the top and the oldest to the bottom. Instead of append use prepend. prepend will add element to first child.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I find all the responses from people are from confused people...this page is very confusing..those really are not michigans laws. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REPORT OR DO ANYTHING TO HOMESCHOOL YOUR CHILDREN...its not hard, Just reach your children at home with the curriculum you choose and that is that, nothing else, nothing more, thats it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello, What I shared is straight from michigan.gov. You are completely correct that you can register nothing and just teach your children at home how you deem fit. That is what I did! BUT, if someone chooses to register their children (which is a possibility), then they open themselves up to having to abide by some rules. I clearly outline the two options in the post and link to the government site.

      Delete
  15. hello, i just came across your blog and still have a few questions, not sure where to get started in all of this. Actually have been with connections academy online (since kindergarten) for my son who this year is in second grade. This way of schooling ( actually the school itself even) is extremely stressful on him and I, there is so much added that I feel I am just slammed with so much work. There are regular classes, then they add on extra classes, then require students to send in 12 journal pages a month, plus math sheets that are extra as if its homework to be sent in every month as well, live lessons, and teacher phone calls on webcams biweekly that also is more work for my son. Plus state testing three times a year. Its just all so overwhelming that i feel as though its not actually teaching him, its so fast paced. He hates it! Not to mention its a struggle to get him to complete everything its almost a battle. I don't want to continue this but regular brick and mortar school is just not an option. Please help! #Cluelessinmichigan

    ReplyDelete
  16. My daughter was born with a brain injury from birth. Fever of 106.9 for three days. My water had a pinhole leak which caused it. Anyway the school and the doctors kept saying she was ADD, OCD, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Trichcelanimia, which I found to be total crap, finally I took her to a pediatric Nero-psychiatrist who said it’s from birth. Babies aren’t born with the ability to fight fever. It takes 3 days. Which her doctor NEVER told me. So in the 8th grade my Mom and I decided to homeschool her. We did daily assignments through an online curriculum. She graduated and now wants to go to college. Because we never did any paper work how do we add her high school diploma on whatever list that colleges look at to see if a child has graduated or not?

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...