Michigan
Michigan Dept of Education
Files:
Attachment B1 - Exemption (f) Home Schools
Nonpublic (New) and Home School Letter
ATTENDANCE The law in Michigan governing compulsory attendance requires a parent, legal guardian, or other person having control or charge of a child age six to sixteen to send the child to school during the entire school year [MCL 380.1561(3)]. A child is not required to attend a public school in the following cases: (3) (a) The child is attending regularly and is being taught in a state approved nonpublic school, which teaches subjects comparable to those taught in the public schools to children of corresponding age and grade, as determined by the course of study for the public schools of the district within which the nonpublic school is located. (3) (f) The child is being educated at the child’s home by his or her parent or legal guardian in an organized educational program in the subject areas of reading, spelling, mathematics, science, history, civics, literature, writing, and English grammar.1 (4) For a child being educated at the child’s home by his or her parent or legal guardian, exemption from the requirement to attend public school may exist under either subsection (3)(a) or (3)(f), or both.NONPUBLIC SCHOOL DEFINITION A nonpublic school is defined under section 388.552 of the Private, Denominational and Parochial Schools Act, 1921 PA 302 [MCL 388.552]. A home school family operating under 380.1561(3)(a) as described above is considered a nonpublic school if in compliance with the Private, Denominational and Parochial Schools Act, 1921 PA 302. If a home school family chooses to operate under exemption (a), it may report to the Michigan Department of Education. (See Reporting.)REPORTING: Nonpublic School Membership Report 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, 426 Mich 462, 472, n 5; 396 NW2d 373 (1986) and Clonlara, Inc v State Board of Education, 442 Mich 230, 242, 501 NW2d 88 (1993).Forms are sent to nonpublic schools in late summer with an early October due date. New nonpublic schools may request the Nonpublic School Membership Report (Form SM4325) from the Department by calling (517) 373- 0796.The Department forwards the list of nonpublic schools that have completed the reporting process to the appropriate intermediate school district, which then forwards the names to the local school districts.