Starting a Private School in Michigan
Regulations, Resources, & Support
Michigan State Regulations
General Regulations
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Michigan does not require registration, and only boarding schools are required to be licensed. Accreditation is optional, but all nonpublic schools must be approved by the state.
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The Michigan Department of Education has assembled a page of detailed requirements for private schools.
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Homeschools can operate as nonpublic schools but must follow all of the same regulations as nonpublic schools.
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The US Office of Innovation & Improvement has assembled a summary of regulations for private schools operating in Michigan.
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The Michigan DOE has no published requirements for school insurance -- consult a professional for guidance in this area.
- For a listing of current private schools in Michigan, see the private school directory page.
State Funding Sources & Support
Michigan does not provide funding for private education.
Curriculum Requirements
Nonpublic schools must provide courses of mathematics, reading, English, science, and social studies, in every grade. The successful completion of a one-semester course in civics is required prior to graduation. English must be the basic language of instruction in any nonpublic school.
Teacher Certification & Hiring
Teacher certification is optional.
Food Services / Lunch
In Michigan, school lunch requirements, including funding for schools offering the National School Lunch Program, are managed by the Department of Education.
Length of School Year
There are no regulations on the length of the school year of nonpublic schools.
Recordkeeping & Reports
The Michigan Department of Education annually requests information from nonpublic schools on the number of students in each grade, teacher qualifications, and courses of study offered.
Healthy & Safety Requirements
Students must provide proof of vision testing and immunizations upon enrolling or a documented exemption based on medical or religious beliefs.
Transportation
Local school districts that provide transportation to resident pupils must provide free transportation to nonpublic school students with some limitations.
Testing
State testing is optional for nonpublic school students.
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Michigan State Resources
State & Regional Associations
Government Websites
Helping Educators Do the Work That Matters
Quick Guide Nav
We gathered so much information that we had to break it down into 10 chapters. This free information is well-researched- we even hunted down the rules and regulations for each state! If you're thinking about starting a private school, you will find this guide very handy!
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