Information on Michigan academic standards and instructional resources.
Responsible for providing final decisions in administrative appeals to MDE.
Learn more about the MDE office responsible for providing leadership in curriculum and instruction that provides students with greater choices to prepare for success.
Resources for educator certification, recognition programs, evaluation, and workforce research.
Resources related to financial and pupil accounting and auditing.
Options available for Michigan students that provide unique learning opportunities.
Food & Nutrition Programs
This MDE office provides resources and technical assistance in physical education, sex education, health education, behavioral, emotional, mental, and social education as well as safety, discipline, and transportation.
Resources for programs and initiatives that support school improvement efforts.
Resources for supporting special education in Michigan.
Michigan has an innovative and comprehensive system of assessments to measure student achievement in learning our state content standards.
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
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Any parent, teacher, group, or entity may apply for a charter as developers. They must apply to LARA and have a non-profit status.
A charter school must be chartered by the governing board of a public body that is authorized to issue charter contracts pursuant to Michigan law. In Michigan, an “authorizing body” means any of the following, pursuant to MCL 380.501(1):
However, not all potential authorizers take advantage of the opportunity to issue charters. The list of authorizers of current authorizers is located at the MDE PSA unit website under the Maps and Lists of Public School Academies’ heading.
The fact that not all eligible entities choose to authorize does not preclude charter school developers from requesting consideration from any potential authorizer. At one time, a cap was imposed on the number of charter schools that state public universities could authorize. This cap expired on December 31, 2014. The only remaining caps on establishing charter schools apply to cyber schools and their authorizers.
Interested developers should review and become familiar with all the materials on the MDE PSA website before embarking on the charter school development journey.
All charter schools are funded through the State School Aid Act [1979 PA 94, as amended, MCL 388.1606(6)(c)]. A charter school receives funding through the per-pupil base foundation. By law, this amount may not exceed the per-pupil base foundation received by the local school district where the charter school is geographically located [1979 PA 94, as amended, MCL 388.1620(6)].
Yes, a charter school may access state and federal grants in the same manner as local school districts [MCL 380.504a(f)]. Various factors apply to the eligibility of charter schools and school districts to apply for grants.
Private schools may become charter schools only if they cease operating as a private entity, obtain a charter from a qualified authorizer, and re-open as a public school that meets all state law requirements.
No. A charter school must maintain the separation of church and state. If a charter school is utilizing a building that has religious symbols present, they must be removed or covered [MCL 380.502(1)].
