Washington Homeschool Laws and Requirements
Aug 14, 2026Homeschooling in Washington usually means home-based instruction. You file a declaration of intent with your district each year, meet one of three parent qualification options, teach eleven named subject areas, and have your child assessed annually by a test or a written evaluation. Results go into your child's permanent records, which you keep. A separate route exists: enrolling in an approved private school extension program, which takes your family out of the home-based instruction rules.
Last Reviewed: August 15, 2026. Reviewed by the Modern Homeschools Editorial Team. Next scheduled review: August 15, 2027.
Washington Homeschool Requirements at a Glance
| Topic | What applies to home-based instruction |
|---|---|
| Compulsory attendance ages | Children eight years of age and under eighteen years of age |
| Notification or registration | A signed declaration of intent filed annually with the superintendent where you reside, by September 15 or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester |
| Legal pathway or homeschool definition | Home-based instruction under RCW 28A.225.010(4). An approved private school extension program is a separate route |
| Parent or instructor qualifications | One of three options: supervision by a certificated person, 45 college quarter credit hours or a course in home-based instruction, or being deemed sufficiently qualified by your district superintendent |
| Required subjects | Occupational education, science, mathematics, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and the development of an appreciation of art and music |
| Instructional time | Hours equivalent to the total annual program hours per grade level set for approved private schools, which the state guide gives as an annual average total of 1,000 hours for grades 1 through 12 |
| Testing or evaluation | Annually, either a standardized achievement test approved by the State Board of Education and given by a qualified individual, or a written assessment of academic progress by a certificated person |
| Required records | Test scores or assessments become part of the child's permanent records, kept by the family and forwarded only when the child transfers to a school |
| Responsible government agency | Your district superintendent receives the declaration. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction publishes the forms and guidance |
Two Different Legal Routes
Home-based instruction. The route everything above describes. You file the annual declaration, meet a qualification option, cover the subject areas, log the hours, and arrange the annual assessment. Your family carries each duty directly.
Enrollment in an approved private school extension program. A child enrolled this way is treated as a private school student. Families in an extension program are not required to file a declaration of intent and are not subject to the home-based instruction requirements. The school carries the reporting obligations instead.
A private school may impose its own additional requirements, including its own reporting, testing, or curriculum expectations, so ask any school you are considering what it expects before you enroll. Neither route is the better one; they place the obligations in different hands.
How to Start Homeschooling in Washington
- Check your qualification option first. One of the three must apply before you begin, and the superintendent route means a conversation with your district.
- File the declaration of intent. It goes to the superintendent where you reside, and asks each child's name and birthdate and whether a certificated person will supervise instruction.
- Watch the two deadlines. September 15, or within two weeks of the start of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester if you begin midyear.
- Plan the eleven subject areas and your hours. Coverage is what matters, not a particular curriculum.
- Choose a test or a written assessment early. Both satisfy the annual requirement, and each needs a qualified person lined up.
Testing, Attendance, and Record Keeping
The annual assessment has two acceptable forms, and you choose. One is a standardized achievement test from the State Board of Education's approved list, given by a qualified individual. The other is a written assessment of your student's academic progress by a certificated person, which suits families who would rather not test.
Where the results go is what families most often get wrong. They do not go to your district on a schedule. The score or written assessment becomes part of your child's permanent records, which you keep at home. The statute directs you to forward test scores, academic progress assessments, and immunization records to any school your child later transfers to, and that transfer is when the records leave your hands.
If the assessment shows your child is not making reasonable progress, the parent makes a good faith effort to remedy it. That obligation sits with you rather than triggering a district review.
Washington also exempts home-based students from the state learning goals, learning standards, and high school assessments. Beyond the annual assessment and your permanent records, no attendance register or portfolio is filed. If you move, the declaration belongs to the district where you now reside.
Official Washington Homeschool Resources
- Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Home-Based Instruction
- Declaration of Intent to Provide Home-Based Instruction form
- RCW 28A.200.010, duties of parents
- State Board of Education, approved standardized tests
Beginning Your Homeschool Journey?
Your First 30 Days of Homeschooling provides a practical path for establishing your priorities, planning your next steps, and creating a rhythm that works for your family.
Modern Homeschools provides educational information to help families understand and navigate homeschooling requirements. Because requirements may change, families should confirm current details with the official state sources linked within this guide.