The Short Answer
To withdraw your child from public school in Michigan, send a written withdrawal letter to the school stating that your child is being withdrawn to a home education program. Michigan's home education exemption requires no notice to the state or district, no approval, and no testing. Keep a dated copy of your letter and request any records you want. You can withdraw at any time during the year. You teach the required subjects, covered in the main guide. Compulsory age runs from 6 to 18. Confirm your district's records process with the school office.
Verified June 2026 against Michigan Compiled Laws Section 380.1561. Confirm current district withdrawal procedures with your school before relying on this for legal decisions.
Michigan Withdrawal at a Glance
| Step 1: Write the letter | A written withdrawal letter stating the child is withdrawn to home education |
|---|---|
| Step 2: Deliver it | Send or hand it to the school office; keep a dated copy |
| Step 3: Request records | Ask for immunization records, transcripts, or other documents |
| State or district notice | None required under the home education exemption |
| Approval needed | None |
| Timing | Any time during the year |
| Compulsory age | 6 to 18 |
How Withdrawal Works in Michigan
Michigan's home education exemption asks almost nothing of you. You do not notify the state, you do not register with the district, and you do not seek approval to homeschool. To withdraw your child from public school, you send a written letter to the school stating that the child is being withdrawn to a home education program. The school updates its enrollment records, and the move is complete.
The legal foundation is Michigan Compiled Laws Section 380.1561(3)(f), which exempts home-educated children from the compulsory attendance requirement when a parent or guardian provides an organized educational program in the nine required subject areas. That exemption asks you to teach the subjects. It does not ask you to tell anyone you are doing it, to register, or to prove it to the district. The withdrawal letter is not a legal requirement of the home education law; it is a practical notice to the school so it can update its enrollment records.
Michigan's compulsory attendance age runs from 6 through 18. If your child is in that range and you stop sending them to public school without any communication, the school will eventually generate attendance notices. Sending the withdrawal letter stops that. The letter is your communication to the school, not a filing with the state.
Step 1: Write the Withdrawal Letter
The withdrawal letter is the one document you need. Keep it short: your child's name, that you are withdrawing the child effective on a given date, and that the child will be educated in a home education program. You do not need to describe your curriculum, name the subjects you will teach, or prove your qualifications. The letter is a notice, not an application. The school has no authority to approve or deny your decision to withdraw.
Address it to the principal or the school's attendance or registrar office. A single paragraph is enough. The letter does not need to be notarized or signed by both parents. Write it, date it, and deliver it.
The home education exemption, including the nine required subjects and how to approach curriculum, is covered in the Michigan homeschooling guide. Before you start teaching, the free reading assessment gives you a concrete baseline for where your child stands academically right now.
Want to see what a structured plan looks like before you commit?
Two chapters, a curriculum breakdown, and a worksheet -- free.
See inside before you buy. Delivered by email.
Step 2: Deliver It and Keep a Copy
Deliver the letter to the school office in person, by email, or by mail. Delivering it in person and asking for acknowledgment, or sending it by a method that confirms receipt, gives you a record that the school received it. Keep a dated copy for your files.
That copy is your protection. Because Michigan requires no state or district filing under the home education exemption, your withdrawal letter is the document that shows when and how you removed your child from the public system. Schools sometimes process enrollment changes slowly. If the school sends a stray attendance or truancy notice after the withdrawal, your dated letter with proof of delivery resolves it quickly. One piece of paper clears it up.
Do not skip the delivery confirmation step. Email is clean because you have a time-stamped record automatically. Certified mail gives you a tracking number. Handing a letter to the front desk and getting a date stamp from the office also works. Whatever method you use, make sure you can show the school received it on a specific date.
Step 3: Request Records
While you are at the school or in communication with the office, ask for any records you want to keep: immunization records, report cards, and transcripts. These are useful later for sports programs, co-ops, college applications, or a future return to public school. The school should provide them on request.
You are not required to gather these, but it is far easier to collect them during the withdrawal conversation than to track them down afterward. Schools maintain records for former students, but access becomes less convenient once the enrollment relationship ends. Collect what you need while the communication is already open.
Once you have the records and the letter is delivered, you can begin home education the same day. There is no waiting period in Michigan. The Guide covers building a structured teaching plan that covers the nine required subjects, which is the practical next step once the withdrawal paperwork is done.
Choosing the right curriculum gets easier when you know what to teach, what to skip, and where to start.
Get the GuideA simple step-by-step plan for getting started.
Michigan's Two Options and Special Education
Michigan technically offers two routes for home education. The first is the home education exemption under MCL 380.1561(3)(f), which most families use and which requires no notice to the state or district. The second is operating as a nonpublic school, which involves registration with the Michigan Department of Education and carries its own requirements. For a standard withdrawal to begin home educating, the home education exemption is the straightforward path, and it is the one this guide follows. The full Michigan homeschooling guide explains both routes and when each makes sense.
If your child has an Individualized Education Program, the special education services provided through the public school end when you withdraw to home education. Michigan districts may offer limited services to home-educated students, but the public school IEP entitlement does not carry over. Contact the district's special education office before withdrawing if services are in place. Getting clarity before the withdrawal is final prevents complications that are harder to resolve after the enrollment change is made.
A Note from Homeschool Teacher Guide: What This Really Means for You
Michigan keeps withdrawal about as simple as it gets under the home education exemption. There is no state form, no district approval, and no waiting period. You write a short letter saying your child is withdrawn to home education, you deliver it in a way you can prove, and you keep a dated copy. That copy is the one thing we would not skip, since it resolves any stray attendance notice fast.
Grab your child's records on the way out, then turn to the part that matters, which is building a strong year. Our Michigan homeschooling guide covers the nine required subjects and everything else that comes after the letter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Withdraw My Child From Public School in Michigan?
Send a written withdrawal letter to the school stating that your child is withdrawn to a home education program. Michigan's home education exemption requires no notice to the state or district and no approval.
Do I Have to Notify the State of Michigan?
No. Under the home education exemption there is no notice to the state or district and no registration to homeschool.
Can I Withdraw at Any Time?
Yes. There is no window to wait for. You can withdraw at any point during the school year.
What Should the Withdrawal Letter Say?
Your child's name, the effective date, and that the child will be educated in a home education program. Keep it short; it is a notice, not an application.
What Happens to My Child's IEP?
Public school special education services end when you withdraw to home education. Districts may offer limited services, but the IEP entitlement does not carry over. Contact the special education office before withdrawing.