How to Comply with Washington’s Homeschool Law

Washington provides two legal options under which parents may homeschool. After choosing the option you wish to use, follow the steps listed below it.

Option 1: Homeschooling under the homeschool statute

1. Meet the teacher qualifications.

You must be qualified to operate a homeschool program by either:

1. instructing only your child and being supervised by a certificated person (i.e., the certificated person and the parent together plan the educational objectives; the certificated person has a minimum average of one contact hour per week with the child; and the certificated person evaluates the child’s progress); or
2. instructing only your child and having either 45 college quarter credits or the equivalent in semester credits (approximately 30 semester credits, since one quarter credit equals two-thirds of a semester credit); or
3. instructing only your child and having completed a course in home-based education at a postsecondary institution or a vocational-technical institute (these courses generally do not require an extensive time commitment); or
4. instructing only your child and being “deemed sufficiently qualified to provide home-based instruction by the superintendent of the local school district.”

2. File a notice of intent.

You must annually file a signed declaration of intent to homeschool by September 15 or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester. File with the local superintendent or with the superintendent of a nonresident district that accepts the homeschool student as a transfer student. The declaration must include the name and age of your child, specify whether a certificated person will be supervising the instruction, and be written in a format prescribed by the superintendent of public instruction. HSLDA has a declaration of intent form available for our members’ use, which you can find below.

3. Teach for the required number of days.

You must teach 180 days per year, or average 1,000 hours per year.

4. Teach the required subjects.

Your homeschool curriculum must include occupational education, science, math, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and the development of an appreciation of art and music.

5. Conduct an annual assessment.

You have two options for the required annual assessments. The results of the assessment do not need to be submitted to the public schools but must be retained as part of your child’s permanent school record.

The assessment options are:

1. Ensure that a standardized test approved by the state board is administered annually to your child by a “qualified” person (i.e., anyone qualified by the test publisher to administer the test), or
2. Have your child evaluated by a certificated person.

To learn more about types of annual assessments, visit our Testing and Evaluation page.

Option 2: Homeschooling with a private or denominational school

1. Enroll as an extension program of an approved private school.

Approved private schools are permitted to allow families to operate their homeschools as extension programs of the school. You will need to locate an approved private school that allows extension programs and enroll your child in that school. The best way to determine if a school accepts extension students is to visit the school’s website or contact the school directly.

2. Comply with the private school’s requirements for its extension programs.

Please note: The information on this page has been reviewed by an attorney, but it should not be taken as legal advice specific to your individual situation.

Washington Declaration of Intent to Provide Home-Based Instruction

The Declaration of Intent to Homeschool must be filed using the format prescribed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. However, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction's sample form seeks the birthdate of the child who will be receiving home-based instruction, even though state law requires that only the child's age be given. If your district uses this sample form, HSLDA recommends that the parents provide the age, and not the birthdate, of the child. If your district's Declaration of Intent Form is not in compliance with state law or is in the format prescribed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, please use HSLDA's form. Mail the notice to the superintendent of your school district by September 15 of each year or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester.

This is an exclusive members-only resource!

Washington Sample Letter of Withdrawal from Public School

If you are withdrawing your child from public school during the school year to begin homeschooling, fill out this letter and mail it "Certified Mail/Return Receipt Requested" to the principal of the public school your child is currently attending.

This is an exclusive members-only resource!