Homeschool Law

What you need to know
Homeschool Law
  • To qualify to homeschool, the parent/family must meet one of three requirements according to section 4 of RCW 28A.225.010:
  1. The student is supervised by a certificated teacher. This requires a minimum of one-hour contact per week of the student being supervised by the teacher.
  2. The parent has either earned 45 college level quarter credit hours or the equivalent in semester hours. (This is one year of full-time college enrollment.)

OR

The parent has completed a parent qualifying course. (ie: https://washhomeschool.org/event-types/parent-qualifying-courses/ )

  1. The parent is deemed sufficiently qualified to provide home-based instruction by the superintendent of your local school district.

01.

The Student is supervised by a certificated teacher. There must be a minimum of an average of one-hour contact per week with the student being supervised by the teacher. 

02.

The parent has either earned 45 college level quarter credit hours or the equivalent in semester hours.

03.

The parent has completed a parent qualifying course in home-based instruction at a post-secondary institution or a vocational-technical institute.

04.

The parent has submitted an Intent to homeschool form with their school district for students 8 years old and older.  This form is due every school year.

  • In order to begin homeschooling, parents/families must file a Declaration of Intent with the School District office. See the WHO website for a copy of this form. 
  • Students who are homeschooled must be evaluated annually. There are two options for this: 
    1. A standardized achievement test approved by the state board of education and administered by a qualified individual. Online options are acceptable.
    2. An assessment of the student’s academic progress which is written by a certificated person who is currently working in the field of education.
  • The law states that instruction will consist of planned and supervised instructional and related educational activities including a curriculum and instruction in the basic skills of occupational education, science, mathematics, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing and spelling and the development of an appreciation of art and music. 
  • The hours of instruction are to be equal to the total hours per grade level established for approved private school. However, when determining the nature and quantity of instruction (this is, how to teach and for how long), parents should know that: The legislature recognizes that home-based instruction is less structured and more experiential than a classroom education. Therefore, these provisions of the nature and quantity of instruction shall be liberally construed.
  • Parents need to keep copies of the annual test scores or the written assessment and immunization records. Beyond that, parents decide which records to keep that relate to the instruction and educational activities they have provided. If a student enters a public or private school, and if asked, the parent must provide copies of their annual test results. 
  • The homeschool law states: Parents who are causing their children to receive home-based instruction shall be subject only to those minimum state laws and regulations which are necessary in ensuring 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 Chapter 28A.225 RCW
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More Information

Linked below are a few great resources for learning more about the details of the law in regards to homeschooling. We highly recommend that you read the WHO’s Intro to Homeschooling Packet. 

Washington Homeschool Organization

Here is a link to the Washington Homeschool Organization’s website, where you can explore further

Intro Packet

Here is a link to the WHO’s “Intro to Homeschooling Packet”:

OSPI

Washington State’s Laws Regulating Home-Based Instruction