Michigan Home-Schooling

Question:
We are Seattle home schoolers, and very happy with the local support groups, facilities, etc. I am considering a job offer in Michigan. My question is with respect to the homeschooling environment there (northwest distant suburbs of Detroit). How is it? do people homeschool in Michigan? are there co-ops, etc?

Answer:
-People do home school in Michigan and have done so for at least seventeen years. Historically, it has been a difficult situation. The traditional classroom teachers in Michigan have a strong union and this has contributed to an uncomfortable environment for home schoolers. It may have gotten better recently. When I last changed jobs, I bought a state-by-state legal analysis from HSLDA for $15. It gave an accurate up-to-date report on Louisiana's favorable environment. It has turned out to be good guidance. The other thing I did was request the corporate legal counsel of my prospective employer to check things out. If your new employers are serious about you, they should be willing to do this.

-I don't live near Detroit but I do homeschool my son. Michigan had a very poor environment for homeschooling up until Engler became gov. Many people are reluctant to talk about homeschooling because of the former environment! However, the state is now homeschool friendly and is moving forward.

In Michigan, if you register with Jean Shane at the Department of Education, you become a non-public school in the state. This is not required, however, registration means that your children may receive services from your home district schools, such as special ed., writing help and may also take electives at the school. My son will take sixth grade band next year at our home district school. You are required to teach math, science, history and reading. The rest are electives. It really depends upon your home district as to how accomodating they will be. Our district is a very popular one with many tuition students so they don't really care whether they get my son's state funds (about $5000.00 per student) but others are more protective. Since you are moving in, if you don't register with the state, know one will really care about you!

There are plenty of homeschooling groups. Most are christian based. If you are like me and are uncomfortable with right-wing christians you may have trouble finding groups! Being close to Ann Arbor, you should be able to find growing without schooling groups. There are some around Detroit, Lansing and Ann Arbor.

I'm probably more optomistic about homeschooling in Michigan than say someone who has been at it for many years. We've only been homeschooling for 1 year and only have 1 child at home. The other child thrives in our home district school so we left her there! I'm sure you will hear plenty of horror stories from others as I have heard them. However, when we pulled our son out of school, our superintendent just said, "Fine, what can we do for you." They have been super supportive. Jean Shane at the Department of Education helped me choose books and gave guidance on most things. The Advocacy Office of the Department of Education has given plenty of free advice on how to handle my son's A.D.D. and get services from the state. I really couldn't ask for much more, except maybe a non-religious based local homeschool group. Sometimes we feel very isolated because everything in our area is done by the Michiana Christian Homeschoolers.