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Homeschooling in Washington

Homeschool rules in Washington, in plain English

In Washington, a parent who teaches a child at home must file a signed Declaration of Intent with the local school district superintendent every year, by September 15. The parent must also meet one of three qualifications, teach 11 required subjects, and arrange a yearly test or written assessment for each child aged 8 through 17. Keep the test or assessment results and other records at home.

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This explains each state's homeschool rules in plain English, from the state's own published sources. It isn't legal advice, and we aren't lawyers. Laws change and every family is different, so check with your state, your school district or a lawyer before you rely on it.

How much it asks
Detailed: notices plus tests or reviews
School age
8 through 17 (the statute says eight years of age and under eighteen)
Time
1000 hours a year

Option 1

Home-based instruction under state law (chapter 28A.200 RCW)

Parents who teach their own child at home and meet one of the three parent qualifications. The parent is responsible for planning, materials and records.

  1. Before you startGood to know

    Confirm your parent qualification

    Choose one: (1) 45 college-level quarter credit hours, or the semester equivalent, from a postsecondary school; (2) a course in home-based instruction at a college or vocational-technical institute; or (3) a certificated Washington teacher who plans objectives with you, meets with your child on average at least one hour per week each month, and evaluates progress. One certificated teacher may supervise no more than 30 children. A fourth route is approval by your district superintendent as sufficiently qualified.

  2. Before you start, and by September 15 every yearPaperwork

    File the Declaration of Intent

    Sign a Declaration of Intent to Provide Home-Based Instruction. Include your child's name and age, and say whether a certificated teacher will supervise. Use the format set by the state superintendent; OSPI's sample is in the Pink Book appendix. Send it to the superintendent of your resident school district, or the district that accepts your child as a transfer.

  3. Within two weeks of starting mid-yearPaperwork

    File if you start mid-year

    If you begin homeschooling after the school year starts, file within two weeks of the start of a public school quarter, trimester or semester.

  4. OngoingWhat to teach

    Teach the 11 required subjects

    Cover reading, writing, spelling, language, math, science, social studies, history, health, occupational education, and art and music appreciation. You choose the curriculum, methods and timing.

  5. OngoingTime

    Plan about 1,000 hours of instruction

    The law has no set number of school days. It ties the hours to the annual hours for approved private schools, which is about 1,000 hours for grades 1 through 12. The law says these rules are read loosely.

  6. Every yearTesting

    Arrange the yearly test or assessment

    Choose either a standardized achievement test approved by the State Board of Education, given by a qualified person, or a written assessment by a Washington-certificated teacher who works in education. Results become part of the child's permanent records.

  7. After each annual test or assessmentTesting

    Respond to weak results

    If the test or assessment shows your child is not making reasonable progress for their age or stage, the law asks you to make a good faith effort to fix the gap.

  8. OngoingRecords

    Keep records

    Keep test scores or assessments, immunization records, and other records of instruction. Send these to any school your child transfers to.

Option 2

Enrollment in an approved private school or its extension program

Families who want a private school approved by the State Board of Education, or an extension program of one, to handle enrollment and supervision. The school takes on the state requirements, so the family does not file a home-based Declaration of Intent.

  1. Before you startGood to know

    Choose an approved private school or extension program

    Extension programs must be run by an approved private school. Certificated staff must plan objectives, meet with each student at least an average of one hour per week each month, evaluate progress, and supervise no more than 30 students.

  2. Before the school year beginsPaperwork

    Enroll your child

    Enroll your child in the school for the full school year. A child enrolled this way is not receiving home-based instruction, so the parent does not file a Declaration of Intent.

Option 3

Public school alternative learning experience or parent partnership program

Families who want a public school program with a certificated teacher. The child is a public school student, not a home-based student, and the district sets the program rules.

  1. Before you startGood to know

    Ask your district about its program

    Ask the district for a written description of how its program differs from home-based instruction. It must give you this before enrollment. The child is then enrolled as a public school student.

  2. OngoingWho teaches

    Follow the student learning plan

    The district's certificated staff write a learning plan and track progress. Students in these programs usually have regular contact with a certificated teacher. Check the district's terms for weekly contact and reporting.

Subjects to teach

  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Spelling
  • Language
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Social studies
  • History
  • Health
  • Occupational education
  • Art and music appreciation

Tests and reviews

Each year, for each child aged 8 through 17, either a standardized achievement test approved by the State Board of Education, given by a qualified person, or a written assessment by a Washington-certificated person who currently works in education. The results become part of the child's permanent records. If the result shows the child is not making reasonable progress, the parent must make a good faith effort to remedy the gap.

Records to keep

  • Test scores or the written annual assessment, kept as part of the child's permanent records
  • Immunization records, sent to any school the child transfers to
  • Other records of instruction kept by the family, sent to any school the child transfers to

About time

The state sets no number of school days for home-based instruction. The law asks for instruction equal to the annual hours of approved private schools, which the federal education summary lists as 1,000 hours for grades 1 through 12. The law says these hours rules are read loosely.

Also good to know

  • A child under 8 does not need a Declaration of Intent. The duty starts at age 8.
  • Homeschooled students may enroll part-time in their district for courses or ancillary services, including sports, under RCW 28A.150.350 and chapter 392-134 WAC. Part-time enrollment does not end home-based status. Sports eligibility rules still apply.
  • Homeschooled students may enroll part-time in their resident district and receive the special education and related services for which they qualify.
  • If you return to public school, the district may require a standardized achievement test and decides grade and course placement after talking with you and reviewing records.
  • A child aged 16 or older may leave school if regularly and lawfully employed with the parent's agreement, if already meeting graduation requirements, or if holding a certificate of educational competence.
  • Skipping these duties counts as a child not attending school without a valid reason, which can lead to truancy action.

What we couldn’t confirm

  • How long records must be kept. The statute does not say, so keep them until you confirm the rule.
  • Which details a district may ask for on the Declaration. Some districts add fields; the statute lists name, age, and supervision status.
  • Whether a 2021 bill to lower the compulsory age to 6 became law. The statute I read still says eight, so I did not include age 6.
  • The exact weekly-contact rules for public alternative learning programs. The OSPI document I used is from 2014 and may be out of date.
  • Whether homeschool graduates receive a state diploma. I did not find an official source.

From Washington’s own sources

Last checked against these sources on November 7, 2026. We check every state each week.

How Study Naturally helps in Washington

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  • Set each child’s lessons, in the subjects you teach
  • A patient tutor teaches every child at their own level
  • A learning record counts days and time against what the state asks
  • Print it, save it as a PDF, or download a spreadsheet for your files

Homeschooling in Washington

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