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🎓 Michigan School Choice, ESAs & Scholarships

Which Michigan education savings accounts, scholarships and tax credits a homeschool family can use, what they pay for, and where Michigan stands on school choice — from our Michigan guide.

Overseen byHomeschooling under exemption (f) has no state oversight: MDE says it "plays no role" with these families, and local and intermediate school districts enforce the compulsory attendance law (MCL 380.1561). Home schools that register as nonpublic schools report to MDE. Shared-time classes are run by school districts under section 166b of the State School Aid Act (MCL 388.1766b) and MDE's Pupil Accounting Manual.
State program moneyNone for homeschooling. MDE says there are no public funds for home schooling and parents aren't paid to homeschool. When a district enrolls a homeschooled student in nonessential elective classes, the district counts the student part-time for state aid, never more than 0.75 of a full-time student. For 2026–27 the full-time foundation allowance is
0,300 per pupil. That money goes to the district, which uses it to run the classes. Families don't get a budget.
Homeschool notice requiredNo. Under exemption (f) there is no notice, registration or testing, and no teacher qualification beyond being the child's parent or legal guardian. MDE suggests telling your current school when you withdraw so your child isn't marked truant. Registering with MDE is voluntary, but MDE's guidance says to register if you want special education services, shared-time classes or dual enrollment.
Part-time public classesYes. Homeschooled students in grades K–12 may enroll in a district's nonessential elective courses, subject to the district's enrollment policy: for example art, music, physical education, world languages, computer science, career and technical education and AP courses. Core math, science, social studies and English courses, and remedial courses, are excluded (MCL 388.1766b(3)).
TestingNo required tests. Parents test based on their own curriculum. Homeschooled students may take Michigan's state assessments free at their local public school if they arrange it with the district, and their scores are reported individually, not in district results.
Dual enrollmentAvailable, but a homeschooled student must enroll in at least one class at a public or state-approved nonpublic school and dual enroll through that school to have college tuition and fees paid under the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act (MDE). A shared-time elective, including a career-tech class, can be that one class.

Why Michigan has no ESA, voucher or tax-credit scholarship

Article VIII, section 2 of the Michigan Constitution, as amended by a voter initiative approved November 3, 1970, says no public money, property or credit may be used "directly or indirectly to aid or maintain" any nonpublic school, and no "payment, credit, tax benefit, exemption or deductions, tuition voucher, subsidy, grant or loan of public monies" may support a student's attendance at one. In 1971 the Michigan Supreme Court struck down part of that language, the part reaching "any location or institution where instruction is offered in whole or in part" to nonpublic students (Traverse City School District v Attorney General). MDE's Pupil Accounting Manual cites that ruling, along with Snyder v Charlotte Schools (1984), as legal background for shared-time classes.

In 2021 the Legislature passed Senate Bills 687 and 688, which would have created Student Opportunity Scholarship accounts funded by donations that earned a state income tax credit. Governor Whitmer vetoed both bills on November 5, 2021. As of August 31, 2026, no school choice measure was on the Board of State Canvassers' list of statewide ballot petitions for 2025–26.

Federal tax credit: Michigan is not on the IRS list of states taking part in the new federal scholarship tax credit for 2027 (as of October 22, 2026). The credit, up to

,700 per taxpayer, is only available for gifts to scholarship organizations in states that opt in.

Read the full section in our Michigan guide

Other Michigan programs: college aid, dual enrollment, sports and driver's ed

Michigan Achievement Scholarship (2026–27): MI Student Aid says students who graduated in 2023 or later can get up to $5,500 a year for up to five years (

7,500) at a Michigan public university, private college or community college bachelor's program if their Student Aid Index is 30,000 or less. The Community College Guarantee covers in-district tuition and mandatory fees with no income limit, plus a
,000 bonus for Pell-eligible students. The Michigan Achievement Skills Scholarship pays up to
,000 a year for up to two years for career training. Students must file the FAFSA, have lived in Michigan since July 1 of the previous year, enroll full time and start within 15 months of graduating. Homeschooled students may be eligible if the college accepts their home-school documents as proof of high school completion.

Read the full section in our Michigan guide

Special education for home school students

Child find: federal rules require each district to locate, identify and evaluate children with disabilities whose parents enrolled them in private schools in the district, using activities similar to those it uses for public school children (34 CFR 300.131). The process must be finished in a time comparable to that for public school students, and the cost of evaluations can't be counted toward the money the district must spend on private school children. Marquette-Alger RESA's ISD plan (approved October 14, 2025) lists home-schooled children among those its districts' child find policies must cover. It says the district where the nonpublic school is located has the child find duty for nonpublic students, including registered homeschools.

No individual right: under federal rules, a child placed in a private school by the parents has no individual right to receive some or all of the special education and related services the child would get in public school (34 CFR 300.137(a)). The child may receive a different amount of services than children with disabilities in public schools (34 CFR 300.138(a)(2)). The district makes the final decisions about which services it will provide (34 CFR 300.137(b)(2)).

Consultation and funding: districts must consult with private school representatives and with representatives of parents of these children about child find, the proportionate share of federal funds, and how, where and by whom services will be provided, including how services will be divided if funds can't serve every child (34 CFR 300.134). Each district counts these children on a date between October 1 and December 1, and that count sets what it must spend on them in the next fiscal year (34 CFR 300.133(c)). Michigan's auxiliary services rules also require a district that provides those services to tell each nonpublic school in writing, by April 1, what services are in its proposed budget. The nonpublic school answers in writing within 30 days, and the district confirms by August 1 (R 340.293). Ask your district whether it includes registered home school families in these meetings and notices.

Where services happen: federal rules allow services on the premises of a private school, to the extent consistent with law (34 CFR 300.139(a)). If your child needs transportation to benefit from or take part in services at another site, the district must provide it from the child's school or home to that site, and back to the school or home. It doesn't have to provide transportation from home to the private school (34 CFR 300.139(b)). Michigan's auxiliary services rules say services on an equal basis are made available at the nonpublic school during the regular public school day (R 340.291(c)). None of these rules mention home schools, so ask where services will be delivered and whether transportation is included before you agree to the plan.

If you disagree: under federal rules, due process hearings don't apply to complaints that a district failed to provide private school services, including the services in a services plan (34 CFR 300.140(a)). They do apply to child find complaints, including evaluations. Those are filed with the district where the private school is located, with a copy sent to the state (34 CFR 300.140(b)). Other complaints about private school services go through the state complaint process (34 CFR 300.140(c)). In Michigan, you file a state complaint with MDE's Office of Special Education within 1 year of the alleged violation, and deliver it to that office and the district by mail, in person or electronically (R 340.1851).

Read the full section in our Michigan guide

Articles for Michigan families

Official sources

Summarized from our Michigan guide (as of October 2026) and articles. Rules change — confirm on the official pages before you act.

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