How to Homeschool in Washington State (2026 Guide)

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At a Glance

Regulation Level Moderate
Notice Required Yes
Testing Required Yes
Record Keeping Required Yes

The short version

Washington sits in the moderate tier of homeschool regulation. You have three annual obligations: file a signed Declaration of Intent with your local school district superintendent by September 15, ensure your child receives instruction in the state’s listed subject areas for the equivalent number of hours as an approved private school, and arrange an annual assessment — either a standardized test from the State Board of Education’s approved list or a written progress assessment prepared by a certificated educator. Washington also requires that the parent teaching the child meets one of three qualification pathways. Beyond those requirements, decisions about curriculum, teaching methods, schedule, and educational philosophy belong entirely to you under RCW 28A.200.020. Washington does not fund homeschooling through a state ESA, voucher, or scholarship program as of 2026, though part-time public school access and ancillary services are available under RCW 28A.150.350.

Washington’s homeschool framework is grounded in two chapters of the Revised Code of Washington. RCW 28A.225.010(4) defines what qualifies as home-based instruction and sets the subject areas, equivalent instructional hours, and instructor qualification requirements. RCW 28A.200 then establishes the specific duties of parents who are delivering home-based instruction — the declaration of intent, the annual assessment, and the record-transfer requirements. RCW 28A.200.020 provides the counterbalance: the state explicitly recognizes that parents are subject only to the minimum laws necessary to ensure a basic educational opportunity, and that all decisions about philosophy, books, curriculum, materials, and methods remain the parent’s responsibility.

Compulsory attendance applies to children from age eight through age seventeen (the parent must cause a child aged 8 to 18 to attend school). A child who turns eight during the school year falls under the requirement for that year. Home-based instruction is one of the recognized lawful alternatives to public school attendance.

OSPI — the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction — provides technical assistance to school districts on home-based instruction questions and maintains the official state resource page. OSPI does not regulate or approve individual homeschool programs. The primary point of contact for families is the superintendent of the local public school district in which the family resides.

Primary OSPI resource: Home-Based Instruction — OSPI

Statute text — duties of parents: RCW 28A.200.010

Statute text — parental authority over curriculum: RCW 28A.200.020

Statute text — definition of home-based instruction: RCW 28A.225.010

OSPI’s plain-language guide: Washington publishes a document called the “Pink Book” (Washington State Laws Regulating Home-Based Instruction) that explains the statutes with plain-language commentary and answers common questions. It is available through the OSPI home-based instruction page linked above and is a useful supplement to reading the statutes directly.

Notice of intent

Under RCW 28A.200.010(1)(a), every parent providing home-based instruction must file a signed Declaration of Intent annually. The declaration must include:

  • The child’s name and age
  • Whether a certificated person will be supervising the instruction
  • The parent’s signature

When to file:

The declaration must be filed by September 15 of the school year, or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester in which you begin homeschooling.

Where to file:

You file with the superintendent of the public school district in which you reside. OSPI provides a standard form (Form A-2, Declaration of Intent to Provide Home-Based Instruction) that you can use. Some districts have their own local process; contact your district’s central office to confirm their preferred submission method. Filing can typically be done by mail or in person. In most cases, there is no fee.

If you are filing because you are withdrawing your child from public school mid-year, file within two weeks of the withdrawal date. You do not need the district’s approval to begin homeschooling; the declaration is a notice, not an application.

Annual renewal:

The declaration must be refiled each school year. It does not carry over automatically. Many families set a calendar reminder for late August to ensure they file before the September 15 deadline.

Instructor qualifications

Washington is one of a smaller group of states that requires parents to meet a qualification threshold before delivering home-based instruction. Under RCW 28A.225.010(4), home-based instruction is lawful if the parent instructing their own child meets one of three pathways:

Pathway 1 — Supervised by a certificated person: The parent works under the supervision of a person who holds a Washington teaching certificate (under chapter 28A.410 RCW). Supervision means the certificated person and the parent jointly plan instructional objectives, the certificated person has an average of at least one contact hour per week with the child each month, and the certificated person evaluates the child’s progress. One certificated person may supervise up to 30 children under this pathway. Many homeschool support organizations can help families connect with certificated supervisors.

Pathway 2 — Parent has 45 college credit hours or equivalent: The parent has earned at least 45 quarter-credit hours (or the semester equivalent) of college-level coursework, or has completed a course in home-based instruction at a postsecondary institution or vocational-technical institute.

Pathway 3 — Deemed qualified by the local superintendent: The superintendent of the local school district determines that the parent is sufficiently qualified to provide home-based instruction. This pathway involves a direct conversation with your district.

The statute also notes that Washington’s legislature recognizes home-based instruction is “less structured and more experiential than the instruction normally provided in a classroom setting,” and that the instructional hour provisions should be “liberally construed.”

If you are uncertain which pathway applies to you, contact your local district or the Washington Homeschool Organization for guidance.

Required subjects

RCW 28A.225.010(4) specifies that home-based instruction must include planned and supervised instructional and educational activities that cover the basic skills of:

  • Occupational education
  • Science
  • Mathematics
  • Language
  • Social studies
  • History
  • Health
  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Spelling
  • The development of an appreciation of art and music

This is Washington’s required subject list. It is broader than many states but does not mandate specific textbooks, a set number of hours per subject, or a particular teaching approach. The law describes it as covering “basic skills,” not mastery of state standards. Home-based students are explicitly exempt from meeting Washington’s state student learning goals, state learning standards, and the statewide high school assessments under RCW 28A.655.070.

Instructional hours:

The law requires that your home-based program provides instruction “for a number of hours equivalent to the total annual program hours per grade level established for approved private schools” under RCW 28A.195.010 and 28A.195.040. Washington private schools generally operate on a minimum of 180 days. You do not submit an hours log to the state, but you should be prepared to account for your program at the annual assessment stage. Because the legislature directed that these provisions be “liberally construed,” there is meaningful flexibility in how you structure your instructional year.

Testing and annual assessment

The annual assessment is Washington’s most substantive ongoing requirement. Under RCW 28A.200.010(1)(c), every home-based student must receive one of the following each year:

Option 1 — Approved standardized test: A standardized achievement test from the State Board of Education’s approved list, administered by a qualified individual. The State Board maintains and publishes this list; the OSPI home-based instruction page links to it. Families may select any test from the approved list. Common options on the approved list have historically included tests such as the Iowa Assessments, Stanford Achievement Test, and others. You are responsible for locating a qualified administrator, scheduling the test, and covering the cost.

Option 2 — Written assessment by a certificated educator: An annual written assessment of the student’s academic progress prepared by a certificated person who is currently working in the field of education. Under Pathway 1 (above), the supervising certificated person typically prepares this assessment. If you are using Pathway 2 or 3, you will need to find a certificated educator to write the assessment.

What happens with the results:

The test scores or written assessment become part of the child’s permanent records under RCW 28A.200.010(1)(c). If the assessment indicates the child is not making reasonable progress consistent with their age or stage of development, the parent must make a “good faith effort” to remedy the deficiency. The statute does not specify what remediation looks like — it is a good-faith standard, not an enforcement trigger that results in automatic review or intervention.

Transfers to public school:

If your child later transfers to a public school, you are required under RCW 28A.200.010(1)(b) to forward test scores or annual progress assessments, immunization records, and any other instructional records to the receiving school. The receiving superintendent has authority to administer an additional placement test and to determine appropriate grade and course placement, in consultation with the parent.

Records

RCW 28A.200.010(1)(b) and (c) create Washington’s record-keeping requirements in practical terms. The statute requires that:

  • Annual test scores or written assessments become part of the child’s permanent record
  • At the time of a transfer to any other public or private school, the parent must forward those records along with immunization records and any other records kept relating to instructional and educational activities

Washington does not require you to submit records to any agency on a routine basis. There are no scheduled home visits, no annual portfolio submissions, and no curriculum review processes. Records are your family’s to maintain and are required to be forwarded only at the time of a school transfer.

What records to keep:

Even though Washington does not require routine submission, maintaining organized records is worthwhile for several practical reasons:

  • Annual assessments: Keep copies of all standardized test results or written assessments, as these are part of the child’s permanent record and must be forwarded at transfer
  • Immunization records: Required to accompany any records at transfer
  • Transcripts: For high school-age students, a parent-prepared transcript documenting courses and credit is useful for college applications, dual enrollment, and military enlistment
  • Proof of instructor qualification: Documentation of whichever qualification pathway you are using — college transcripts, course completion records, or the name and credential of your certificated supervisor — is worth retaining
  • Course descriptions and work samples: Helpful for college applications, community college dual enrollment, and professional licensing programs that ask for documentation of prior coursework

Part-time public school access

Under RCW 28A.150.350, home-based instruction students have the right to enroll part-time in their local public school and to receive ancillary services. “Part-time student” is defined to include any student receiving home-based instruction who also takes courses at or receives ancillary services from the local school district.

School district boards are authorized and required to permit enrollment of part-time students and to provide ancillary services in the same manner as for other public school students.

In practice, this means a home-based student can:

  • Attend specific classes at the public school without enrolling full-time
  • Access school library resources
  • Participate in extracurricular activities and interscholastic sports through the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA)
  • Receive special education evaluations and services if the child has a qualifying disability, even without full-time enrollment

If your child has special needs, contact your local school district directly. Districts may be required to provide certain services under RCW 28A.150.350 regardless of homeschool status. The Form A-1 (Request for Part-Time Attendance or Ancillary Services) is the standard form for initiating this process; it is available through the OSPI home-based instruction page.

Funding and financial considerations

Washington does not offer a state-funded education savings account (ESA), voucher, scholarship, or grant program for independent home-based instruction families as of 2026. This has been the consistent position of the state. Legislative proposals for school-choice funding have not advanced in Washington’s legislature, and there is no indication that an ESA or voucher program is imminent.

The Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) program is sometimes mentioned alongside homeschooling but is a distinct and separate option. ALE programs are district-run public school programs that allow students to complete most or all of their education outside a traditional classroom. More than 250 ALE programs operate across Washington. Enrolling in an ALE program means your child is classified as a public school student — not as a home-based instruction student under RCW 28A.225.010(4). ALE families receive public school resources but give up the legal independence of home-based instruction, including control over curriculum and methods.

National funding options available to Washington families:

  • HSLDA Compassion Curriculum Grants: Available to HSLDA member families experiencing financial hardship. Covers curriculum, testing fees, co-op fees, therapies, and educational technology. Grants run approximately $300–$400 per student for core curriculum costs. Three application windows per year (winter, spring, fall); funds are limited and processed first-come, first-served. Families receiving state ESA funds are ineligible.
  • VELA Education Fund: Open to homeschool families, co-ops, microschools, and education entrepreneurs. Covers supplies, program development, and learning space costs.
  • Washington Homeschool Organization (WHO) Scholarships: WHO offers scholarships of up to $1,000 for graduating home-based instruction students who are WHO members and have filed a Declaration of Intent. Designed to support students transitioning to higher education.

Federal tax-advantaged accounts:

  • Coverdell Education Savings Account: Allows contributions of up to $2,000 per child per year. Funds grow tax-free and withdrawals for qualifying K–12 expenses — including curriculum, books, supplies, tutoring, and testing fees — are also tax-free federally. Washington has no state income tax, so there is no state-level tax interaction to worry about. For families who want a structured, tax-advantaged way to fund annual homeschooling costs, the Coverdell ESA is the most straightforward federal vehicle.
  • 529 College Savings Plan: Federal law allows up to $10,000 per year in 529 distributions for K–12 tuition. Washington’s 529 plan (Washington College Savings Plans) follows federal treatment. Because Washington has no state income tax, there is no state deduction to recapture on K–12 distributions, making 529 funds a cleaner option for Washington families than in states with income tax conformity concerns.

No state tax credit or deduction: Washington has no state income tax, which means there are no state-level deductions or credits for homeschooling expenses. All tax-advantaged strategies available to Washington families operate at the federal level.

Withdrawing from public school

If your child is currently enrolled in a public school, beginning home-based instruction involves two parallel steps:

  1. Notify the school that you are withdrawing your child. Contact the school’s administrative office to formally disenroll your child. Schools are required to process the withdrawal and cannot deny it. Request written confirmation that the withdrawal has been processed.
  2. File your Declaration of Intent with your local school district superintendent within two weeks of the withdrawal. Use Form A-2 or your district’s equivalent process.

You do not need the school’s permission to homeschool, and no waiting period applies once you have filed your declaration. Your home-based instruction program can begin as soon as the declaration is submitted.

If you move:

If your family moves to a different school district, you must file a new Declaration of Intent with the superintendent of the new district. Your declaration from the previous district does not transfer.

Returning to public school:

If your child later returns to a public school, the receiving district superintendent may require an additional standardized test for placement purposes and will determine grade and course level placement in consultation with the parent. The district must also receive the forwarded records required under RCW 28A.200.010(1)(b) — test scores or assessments, immunization records, and any other instructional records you have kept. Home school coursework is not automatically accepted for credit toward graduation; contact your local district before the transition if high school credit is a concern.

Home-based students who want an alternative credential can pursue a GED. Washington students under 18 typically need parent consent and district coordination. The GED is accepted by colleges, trade programs, apprenticeship programs, and the military.

Support and community

Washington has an active and organized homeschool community across the state, from the Puget Sound metro to the eastern counties.

  • Washington Homeschool Organization (WHO) — washhomeschool.org — Washington’s primary statewide homeschool organization. WHO is nonpartisan and nonsectarian. It provides legal information, advocacy, a directory of support groups and co-ops organized by county and region, scholarship programs for graduating students, a qualifying course for Pathway 2 instructor qualification, and events including in-person conferences and graduation ceremonies. WHO’s county-and-region co-op directory is one of the most practical starting points for finding families near you.

  • Christian Heritage Home Educators of Washington (CHHE) — A statewide network for families pursuing home-based instruction within a faith-based framework. CHHE provides resources, support group connections, and advocacy.

  • Family Learning Organization (FLO) — A statewide organization listed by OSPI as a resource for families. FLO provides information and community connections for Washington homeschool families.

  • Regional co-ops: Co-ops are active across the state — in King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, Whatcom, Clark, Thurston, and other counties. WHO’s support group directory, accessible through washhomeschool.org, is the most reliable way to find verified co-ops operating under the Home-Based Instruction Law in your area.

  • WIAA (Washington Interscholastic Activities Association): Home-based students who wish to participate in interscholastic athletics through their local public school should consult the WIAA’s eligibility rules and contact their local district’s activities director to initiate the part-time enrollment process under RCW 28A.150.350.

  • Public libraries: Washington’s public library system — including King County Library System, Spokane Public Library, Pierce County Library, and others — provides free access to digital learning platforms, educational databases, STEM kits, and physical curriculum materials that homeschool families can draw on at no cost.

  • OSPI contact: For school districts with procedural questions, OSPI maintains a dedicated phone line: Learning Options, 360-725-6233.