Michigan requires nothing. Michigan requires no notice, no registration, and no assessment. You may begin homeschooling without telling anyone. The detail below is what the statute actually says, so you can see for yourself rather than take our word for it.

What you file, and by when

None under the home education exemption. MCL 380.1561(3)(f) requires no notice, no registration, no form and no approval. MDE itself states registration is optional and it collects no student-level data, but MDE 'suggests' notifying the current school of intent to homeschool to avoid truancy follow-up. Registration/approval with MDE (via the annual Homeschool Membership Report) is REQUIRED only if the family wants public school services: special education via a Nonpublic School Service Plan, or enrollment in non-essential/dual-enrollment courses. To be approved, the parent must hold at least a bachelor's degree (teacher certification is not required) or assert a religious objection to certification under People v. DeJonge, 442 Mich. 266 (1993). Families may also operate under the separate nonpublic school exemption, MCL 380.1561(3)(a), or under both simultaneously per MCL 380.1561(4).

Days or hours

None. Michigan sets no minimum instructional days or hours for home education. The statutory standard is only that the child be taught in an 'organized educational program' in the listed subjects.

Subjects you must cover

Nine subjects, enumerated in MCL 380.1561(3)(f): reading, spelling, mathematics, science, history, civics, literature, writing, and English grammar. MDE's guidance is strict on two points: the parent or legal guardian must be the one teaching (a grandparent, neighbor or tutor who is not the legal guardian does not qualify), and ALL essential subjects must be taught in the home setting, splitting essential subjects with a public or nonpublic school takes the child outside the exemption.

Records you keep

None required by the state. MDE is explicit: parents are not required to submit curriculum or student data, and parents are 'solely responsible for any/all records, including gradebooks, periodic grading/progress reports, up to and including transcripts and diploma issuance.' Keep your own records; there is no state repository and MDE cannot verify completion.

Testing or evaluation

None. Standardized testing is optional, a homeschooled student may arrange to sit for state assessments through the resident public school, but no results are reported and no assessment is required.

Diplomas and transcripts

The parent issues the diploma and transcript; Michigan has no state homeschool diploma, no credit definition and no state verification of completion. MDE explicitly places transcript and diploma issuance entirely on the parent. Homeschooled students may take non-essential courses at the local district (MCL 388.1766b) and dual-enroll at postsecondary institutions (Public Act 160 of 1996), but must enroll in at least one course at a public or approved nonpublic school for dual-enrollment charges to be paid; note that for grades 9-12, algebra 1/2, geometry, English 9-12, biology, chemistry, physics, economics, geography, American and world history, the Constitution, government and civics are 'essential' and therefore NOT available on this basis. Michigan has no homeschool ESA or voucher. Registration bills to require homeschool notification have been introduced in the 2025-2026 session but none has been enacted.

Where this comes from

Statute: Mich. Comp. Laws § 380.1561(3)(a), (3)(f), (4); Mich. Comp. Laws §§ 388.551, 388.552 (nonpublic school teacher qualification), 388.1766b (non-essential courses); People v. DeJonge, 442 Mich. 266 (1993)

Source: https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/flexible-learning/options/nonpub-home

Last reviewed: July 2026 · our confidence in this entry: high

Homeschool law changes, and a page like this goes stale without announcing it. Check the statute above against your own reading before a filing deadline. If we are out of date, we would rather hear it from you than have you find out at the district office.

Keeping the records is the other half of this. Our Records System has the editable transcript with the GPA already wired, 131 course descriptions, and this same statute-cited summary for all fifty states and DC. Thirty-nine dollars, one household, however many children you have.