WASHINGTON HOMESCHOOL LAW
RCW 28A.200.020 --
(Home Based Instruction -- states: "The state hereby recognizes that parents who are causing their children to receive home-based instruction under RCW 28A.225.010(4) shall be subject only to those minimum state laws and regulations which are necessary to insure that a sufficient basic educational opportunity is provided to the children receiving such instruction. Therefore, all decisions relating to philosophy or doctrine, selection of books, teaching materials and curriculum, and methods, timing, and place in the provision or evaluation of home-based instruction shall be the responsibility of the parent except for matters specifically referred to in this chapter."
In Washington State the Compulsory Attendance Age is from eight years old to eighteen years old. If your child is 8 years old on August 31 of the current school year, then the intent to home school is to be filed.
In Washington State we are required to have 180 days of instruction.
This is a list of the required subjects that are to be taught to home school students in Washington State.
To homeschool in Washington, parents must comply with one of four options:
Parents are required to:
1. File a Declaration of Intent at proper time.
The statement shall include the name and age of the child, shall specify whether a certificated person will be supervising the instruction, and shall be written in a format prescribed by the superintendent of public instruction. Each parent shall file the statement by September 15th of the school year or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester with the superintendent of the public school district within which the parent resides or the district that accepts the transfer, and the student shall be deemed a transfer student of the nonresident district.
2. Keep certain records to be forwarded to any other public or private school to which the child transfers.
Ensure that test scores or annual academic progress assessments and immunization records, together with any other records that are kept relating to the instructional and educational activities provided, are forwarded to any other public or private school to which the child transfers. At the time of a transfer to a public school, the superintendent of the local school district in which the child enrolls may require a standardized achievement test to be administered and shall have the authority to determine the appropriate grade and course level placement of the child after consultation with parents and review of the child's records; and
3. Have the child's academic progress evaluated annually
In Washington State the Compulsory Attendance Age is from eight years old to eighteen years old. If your child is 8 years old on August 31 of the current school year, then the intent to home school is to be filed.
In Washington State we are required to have 180 days of instruction.
This is a list of the required subjects that are to be taught to home school students in Washington State.
- Occupational education
- Science
- Math
- Language
- Social studies
- History
- Health
- Reading
- Writing
- Spelling
- Develop an appreciation of art and music.
To homeschool in Washington, parents must comply with one of four options:
- Be supervised by a certificated person who provides a minimum of one contact hour a week average per month - OR -
- One parent must have forty-five college level quarter credit hours (or its equivalent in semester hours) - OR -
- Complete a course in home-based instruction at a post secondary institution or vocational-technical institute. (Parent Qualifying Course or PQC) - OR - most parents who do not have sufficient college credits will attend a PQC.
- Have the local school superintendent deem you sufficiently qualified.
Parents are required to:
1. File a Declaration of Intent at proper time.
The statement shall include the name and age of the child, shall specify whether a certificated person will be supervising the instruction, and shall be written in a format prescribed by the superintendent of public instruction. Each parent shall file the statement by September 15th of the school year or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester with the superintendent of the public school district within which the parent resides or the district that accepts the transfer, and the student shall be deemed a transfer student of the nonresident district.
2. Keep certain records to be forwarded to any other public or private school to which the child transfers.
Ensure that test scores or annual academic progress assessments and immunization records, together with any other records that are kept relating to the instructional and educational activities provided, are forwarded to any other public or private school to which the child transfers. At the time of a transfer to a public school, the superintendent of the local school district in which the child enrolls may require a standardized achievement test to be administered and shall have the authority to determine the appropriate grade and course level placement of the child after consultation with parents and review of the child's records; and
3. Have the child's academic progress evaluated annually
- (those approved by the State Board of Education and given by a qualified person) or have the child evaluated by a certificated person currently working within the field of education. The test/evaluation is only for parent information; it is not required to be seen by school officials unless the parent wishes to admit the student to public school.
Washington State Declaration of Intent
This form was provided by the Christian Homeschool Network www.chnow.org in the format prescribed by OSPI RCW 28A.200.010 (1)
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