Michigan

History

Located in the midwestern region of the United States, Michigan legalized homeschooling in 1996. Prior to 1996, homeschooling was illegal unless parents were certified teachers. The landmark People v. DeJonge case changed that policy.

Regulation

Michigan does not require parents who elect to homeschool their children, ages 6 to 18, to notify or report to anyone. The only exception is for parents requesting services from their local school. However, reporting is suggested, so that the student is not counted as truant. See here for more details. Michigan does not have minimum parental education requirements for homeschooling. If a parent registers as a nonpublic school, then the parent must have a bachelor’s degree and provide instruction in the core subjects. There is no required curriculum and attendance days or hours. Requirements differ between the homeschool and nonpublic school models.

Homeschooled students may participate in the statewide assessments free of charge, and results are provided to families for information on student progress. See subsection 11. Test scores are reported directly to the student. Otherwise, testing is not required for homeschooled students.

Homeschooled students can enroll in nonessential elective courses in their local public schools. The district determines access to other offerings like sports. According to Michigan policy, homeschooled students with special needs may be eligible for special services upon request.

State Data

Michigan changed the homeschool policy and stopped collecting and reporting information on homeschool participation around 2015. Around 1,900 students reported homeschooling in 2000. Participation counts decreased over the next decade. However, it is unclear if this is a reduction in participation or a change in reporting. The U.S. Census estimates provide more recent information.

U.S. Census estimates indicate that around 5.3% of Michigan families homeschooled in the spring of 2020 and increased to 11.3% by the fall of 2020. Note that these percentages reflect family participation. Student participation rates could be higher since many families have more than one child. More recently, the U.S. Census found that, during the 2022 and 2023 school years, an average of 3.6% of all K-12 students in Michigan were homeschooled.

Cross-Sector Comparison

We cannot calculate a cross-sector comparison due to missing homeschool participation data.

School Choice Context

In addition to homeschooling, Michigan parents have several educational choices available. These options include open enrollment in traditional public schools, including magnet and charter schools. There are no private school choice programs in Michigan.

Commentary

Michigan could increase access to all nonpublic students for offerings at public schools, including extracurriculars and courses.