Michigan
Michigan special education hub
Starter orientation for Michigan families and staff. Our Texas section is deeper today. Everything here points to official Michigan Department of Education and federal sources.
Overview
Special education in Michigan runs on the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) plus state rules administered by the Michigan Department of Education. Local districts deliver the services.
Michigan uses the federal vocabulary. The team that writes the plan is the IEP team, and the plan is the IEP. Texas terms such as ARD are Texas specific and do not describe Michigan practice, so we do not use them on these pages.
We do not publish Michigan day counts or deadline numbers. Timelines have exceptions and they are updated by rule. Confirm anything time sensitive with Michigan Department of Education materials and with your district in writing.
Pages in this hub
- IEP meetings in Michigan
Who is on the team, what the meeting covers, and how parents take part.
- Asking for an evaluation
How evaluation requests usually start, and where to confirm current Michigan timelines and forms.
- Parent rights and safeguards
An orientation to the procedural safeguards notice. It is an overview, not a replacement for the notice itself.
For parents in Michigan
Follow the parent journey, then see For Parents. New to the vocabulary? Read the glossary terms IEP, FAPE, LRE, and procedural safeguards. National companions live in Guides.
For Michigan schools
District and building leaders can start with For Schools, then use Michigan Department of Education guidance and your regional support system for state specific training.
Official starting points
- Michigan Department of Education
- IDEA (U.S. Department of Education)
- Michigan Alliance for Families: the parent training and information center for Michigan.
- Disability Rights Michigan: the protection and advocacy agency for Michigan.
- Center for Parent Information and Resources
Looking for another state? See all state sections.
Not legal advice. Not medical advice.