Common Core Standards Michigan Language Arts: Do Homeschoolers Have to Follow Them?

When parents pull their kids from Michigan public schools, one of the first things they ask is whether they're still on the hook for the same standards their old school used — specifically Common Core. The short answer is no. But understanding why that's true, and what you actually do need to cover, takes about five minutes to get straight.

What Common Core Is — and Where It Comes From

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are a set of academic benchmarks for English language arts and mathematics adopted voluntarily by states, including Michigan. The Michigan Department of Education branded the ELA version as the "Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts," aligning closely with Common Core.

Public schools in Michigan are required to follow these standards. They shape textbook adoptions, standardized tests like the M-STEP, and how teachers write lesson plans.

Private institutions and homeschooling families operate under a completely different legal framework — one that doesn't reference Common Core at all.

Michigan's Actual Homeschool Law

Michigan's compulsory attendance statute, MCL 380.1561(3)(f), is the law that governs home education under the most common pathway. It requires that a child be educated at home by a parent or legal guardian in an "organized educational program" covering these nine subjects:

1. Reading
2. Spelling
3. Mathematics
4. Science
5. History
6. Civics
7. Literature
8. Writing
9. English grammar

That's the entire list. There's no reference to Common Core, grade-level benchmarks, the M-STEP, or any MDE curriculum framework. The statute doesn't tell you which books to use, which grade to cover fractions, or how to structure a writing lesson.

The Michigan Department of Education plays "absolutely no regulatory or supervisory role" over families operating under Exemption (f). It doesn't review your curriculum, inspect your lesson plans, or require you to align your instruction to state standards.

What Happens to Common Core When You Withdraw

The moment you formally withdraw your child from a Michigan public school and begin educating under Exemption (f), Common Core standards become irrelevant to your legal obligations. You are not bound by the Michigan K-12 ELA Standards, the Mathematics Standards, or any other framework the MDE has adopted.

This matters practically. It means you can:

• Use a classical curriculum that teaches Latin and rhetoric without worrying about M-STEP ELA alignment
• Use a Charlotte Mason approach that prioritizes living books over textbook passages
• Use a mastery-based math program that doesn't sequence content the way Common Core prescribes
• Use a Christian or secular curriculum publisher without checking whether it's "Common Core-aligned"

None of those choices puts you outside the law.

The Nine Subjects in Practice

What does covering nine subjects look like in practice? Michigan law uses the word "organized" — which means you need a recognizable structure, not a rigid daily schedule. Courts have interpreted this to mean consistent, intentional instruction rather than incidental learning.

For language arts specifically, Michigan's Exemption (f) requires reading, spelling, literature, writing, and English grammar as separate line items. That's five of the nine subjects. Together they map roughly to what most people call "English language arts" — but the state gives you complete freedom in how you teach them, what texts you use, and how you assess mastery.

Reading: Any structured approach — phonics programs, structured literacy, great books, or independent reading with discussion — satisfies this requirement.

Spelling: A dedicated spelling curriculum, integrated spelling instruction, or word study within a broader language arts program all qualify.

Literature: There's no required reading list. Classic novels, contemporary fiction, primary sources, poetry — you choose.

Writing: Regular writing practice, whether that's narrations, essays, creative writing, or formal composition programs, meets the requirement.

English grammar: This can be a standalone grammar curriculum or grammar instruction woven into your writing and reading.

The law doesn't specify minimum hours per subject, grade-level content expectations, or assessment frequency. That latitude is the defining feature of Michigan's homeschool framework.

When Common Core Alignment Might Still Matter to You

There are two situations where you might voluntarily pay attention to Common Core benchmarks, even though you're not required to:

1. If your child might return to public school. Common Core defines what Michigan public schools expect at each grade level. If there's any chance your child will re-enroll in a traditional school, it's worth periodically comparing their progress to public school benchmarks so re-entry doesn't require major adjustment.

2. If your child plans to take standardized tests. Some families have their children take the SAT, ACT, or state tests for college admissions purposes. The SAT and ACT are correlated with Common Core proficiency. If that path is likely, knowing where Common Core benchmarks land is useful context — even if you're not teaching to them.

Neither of these scenarios changes your legal obligations. They're just practical considerations.

What About Exemption (a)? The Nonpublic School Path

Michigan offers a second legal pathway: registering as a state-approved nonpublic school under Exemption (3)(a). Families who go this route must provide an educational program with subjects "comparable" to what local public schools offer to children of the same age and grade.

"Comparable" is a looser standard than "identical," but it does mean your curriculum needs to be in the same general territory as public school content by grade level. For families using this pathway — often because they want access to special education services or dual enrollment — Common Core benchmarks become a more useful reference point, even if alignment isn't technically mandated.

Most Michigan homeschooling families choose Exemption (f) to avoid this reporting and comparability requirement entirely.

The Withdrawal Step Comes First

Before any of this matters, you need to formally sever ties with your child's public school. Until you submit a Letter of Withdrawal, the school's attendance system marks your child as absent — and absence triggers truancy protocols regardless of your homeschooling intentions.

Michigan doesn't provide a standardized withdrawal form, which means you're drafting your own letter. It needs to include your child's name, grade, the effective date of withdrawal, and a clear statement that the child will be educated privately. It should be sent via Certified Mail with Return Receipt Requested to create an unambiguous paper trail.

The Michigan Legal Withdrawal Blueprint walks through the exact letter format, what to include, what to leave out (you don't need to explain your curriculum to the principal), and how to handle pushback from district administrators who may claim you need to attend an exit meeting or sign district forms. You don't.

The Bottom Line

Common Core is a framework for public schools. Michigan's home education law, MCL 380.1561(3)(f), asks you to cover nine subjects in an organized program — nothing more. You choose the curriculum, the schedule, and the method. No MDE approval required, no alignment to state standards necessary.

The first practical step is making sure you've exited the public school system cleanly. Everything else — curriculum, schedule, approach — comes after that paperwork is done correctly.

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