The state says. •The home education route names subjects to teach.•None of its words set a number of days.•None of its words set a number of hours.

You do. •Pick your own days and hours.•The Lesson Planner can count the days you teach, if you want a count.

The state says. •Michigan has two legal routes to homeschool.•The first is home education.•A parent or legal guardian teaches the child at home.•The second runs the home as a state approved nonpublic school. Nonpublic means private.•A family may use one route or both.•This guide walks the home education route.•The nonpublic school route has its own teacher and reporting rules.

You do. •Use the home education route.1.Teach your own child at home.2.Cover the nine subjects in an organized program.

Where. Step 1 of Do the steps

The state says. •School age starts at age 6.•It lasts until the 18th birthday.•At 16, a parent or legal guardian may let a child stop.•That takes a written note to the school district where you live.•School age ends sooner if your child graduates high school.

You do. •Does your child turn 6 before December 1 of the school year?•Start school that school year.•Turns 6 on or after December 1?•Start the next school year.

The state says. •You do not have to tell anyone to start.•The state education office plays no role on this route.•This route does not report to the state.•Telling your child's current school is not required.•The state suggests you tell the school anyway.

You do. 1.Is your child in a school now? Send the school a short note.•Say your child is now homeschooled.2.Keep a copy.

Where. Step 1 of Do the steps

The state says. •On this route, the teacher must be the child's parent or legal guardian.•The state sets no other teacher rule on this route.•Some public school services need state approval first.•Approval needs a bachelor's degree. That is a four year college degree.•Or it needs a religious objection to teacher certification.

You do. •Teach your own child.•You do not need a license or a degree first.

Where. Step 1 of Do the steps

The state says. •The law names nine subjects.•They are reading, spelling, math, science and history.•They also include civics and literature.•The last two are writing and English grammar.•Teach them in an organized educational program.

You do. •Plan lessons in all nine subjects.•You choose the books and the order.•The Academic Planner can lay out each year.

The state says. •Michigan has no required test for a homeschooled child.•Your child may take the state test if you want.•It is free.•The school district where you live sets it up.•The scores are not added to the district's results.

You do. •There is nothing to schedule.•Want the state test? Call the school district where you live.

The state says. •The home school law does not mention shots.•The school shot rule starts when a child first registers in a school.•It also starts at seventh grade in a school.•Child care, preschool and camp programs have the same kind of rule.

You do. •There is nothing to file to homeschool.•Keep the shot record at home.•Your child may join a school or child care later.•If so, bring the shot record or a state exemption form.•For a medical exemption, a doctor signs form DCH-0713.•For a belief exemption, take the county health department's short lesson, then get its certified waiver.