Washington Revised Code §28A.200.010 governs home-based instruction. File an annual Declaration of Intent with your local school district superintendent by September 15 (or within two weeks of starting mid-year). The home-based instructor must qualify through one of four paths: 45 college quarter credit hours; a Washington teaching certificate; completion of a home-based instruction course approved by OSPI; or supervision by a certificated teacher. Cover 11 required subject areas. Complete an annual assessment conducted by someone other than the parent (unless the parent is certificated) and file the results with the district. Compulsory attendance runs from age 8 through 18. No state funding for home-based instruction families.
Verified June 2026 · Washington Revised Code §28A.200.010 · Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Confirm current requirements at k12.wa.us before relying on this for legal decisions.
| Requirement | What Washington Requires |
|---|---|
| Annual declaration | Filed with local school district superintendent by September 15 each year (or within 2 weeks of starting) |
| Instructor qualification | 45 college quarter credits; OR Washington teaching certificate; OR approved home-based instruction course; OR supervised by a certificated teacher who meets monthly with the child and reviews progress quarterly |
| Required subjects | Reading; writing; spelling; mathematics; science; social studies; history; health; physical education; art and music appreciation; occupational education |
| Daily or yearly hours | Not specified for home-based instruction |
| Annual assessment | Required; must be conducted by someone other than the parent (unless parent is certificated); results filed with the district |
| Assessment standard | If child scores below 30th percentile in same subject in two consecutive years, district may require review and curriculum change |
| Compulsory age | 8 through 18 |
| High school diploma | Parent-issued |
| State funding | No ESA or voucher program for home-based instruction families |
Washington's Home-Based Instruction Law
Washington Revised Code §28A.200.010 gives parents the right to provide home-based instruction as an alternative to public school enrollment. The law has three core requirements: an annual declaration filed with your school district, a qualified instructor, and an annual assessment documenting progress that must be submitted to the district. Washington does not specify minimum instructional hours for home-based programs, and it leaves curriculum choices to the family within 11 required subject areas.
Washington's compulsory attendance age begins at 8, not 6 or 7 as in most states. Children younger than 8 are not subject to compulsory attendance law in Washington. Families who start home-based instruction before age 8 are doing so voluntarily, with no legal obligation to file a declaration or meet the qualification requirements. Many families begin formal instruction early and choose to comply with all requirements regardless of the age threshold, which is a reasonable choice, but the law does not require it for children under 8.
The law is more structured than some states, but the structure is manageable. Once you know which of the four qualification paths applies to you, the annual steps are: file the declaration, teach the 11 subject areas, arrange and file the annual assessment. That is the whole of it.
Filing the Annual Declaration of Intent
Each year, file a Declaration of Intent with the superintendent of your local school district by September 15. If you begin home-based instruction after the school year has started, file within two weeks of starting. The declaration must include the name and age of each child you plan to instruct and a statement confirming that the instruction will cover the required subject areas.
The district receives the declaration and records the enrollment. It does not approve or deny your program. Keep a copy of every declaration you file. If you move to a different school district during the year, file a new declaration with the new district within two weeks of the move.
The September 15 deadline can slip when you are focused on setting up your school year. Add it to your calendar in August, before curriculum planning and scheduling fills your attention, so you have time to prepare the declaration and send it before the cutoff.
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Qualifying as the Home-Based Instructor
Washington requires that the person providing home-based instruction meet one of four qualification standards. Only one needs to apply. Most families with any college background already meet the first path before they read the rest of the law.
Path 1: Forty-Five College Quarter Credit Hours
If you have completed at least 45 quarter credits from an accredited college or university in any subject area, you qualify. Quarter credits are the unit used by most Washington institutions, including the University of Washington, Washington State University, and the community college system. Forty-five quarter credits equal about 30 semester credits. An associate degree easily exceeds this threshold, and two or three semesters of coursework from most institutions likely meets it. The credits do not need to be in education, teaching, or any subject related to what you plan to teach.
Path 2: Washington Teaching Certificate
If you hold a valid Washington State teaching certificate, you qualify without any other documentation. A teaching license or certificate from another state does not satisfy this path. It must be a current Washington State certificate. If your certificate has lapsed, contact the Washington Professional Educator Standards Board about renewal before relying on this qualification.
Path 3: Approved Home-Based Instruction Course
You can qualify by completing a course in home-based instruction approved by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. OSPI maintains a list of approved courses on its website. This path is designed for parents who do not have 45 quarter credits or a Washington teaching certificate and would prefer to complete a structured training program rather than arrange certificated teacher supervision. Check the current OSPI list before enrolling in any course, as approval status can change.
Path 4: Supervised by a Certificated Teacher
If none of the first three paths apply, a Washington-certificated teacher can supervise your home-based instruction program. The supervising teacher must develop a program with you, meet with your child in person at least once per month, and review and evaluate your child's progress at least once per quarter. The teacher must also remain available to you for consultation throughout the school year.
This arrangement requires finding a certificated teacher willing to take on the supervisory role. Some families connect with willing supervisors through local homeschool support organizations, private tutoring networks, or personal contacts in the education field. The role carries real obligations on the teacher's part, so give any prospective supervisor time to review the law's requirements before committing.
Eleven Required Subject Areas
Washington requires home-based instruction to cover 11 subject areas: reading, writing, spelling, mathematics, science, social studies, history, health, physical education, and art and music appreciation, along with occupational education. The law does not specify which textbooks to use, how many hours to spend on each subject, or what level of mastery to demonstrate. You select the curriculum and structure the school day.
For most families, a standard curriculum package covers the core academic subjects: language arts covering reading, writing, and spelling; mathematics; science; and social studies or history. Health, physical education, art and music, and occupational education can be woven in through dedicated lessons, extracurricular activities, or integrated projects. Occupational education is the subject that surprises most new Washington families. It can be satisfied through home economics, personal finance, technology skills, career exploration, or any structured introduction to practical life and work skills. Most curricula do not label these lessons as occupational education explicitly, but the content is often present.
Take a reading assessment before you build the year's plan to see exactly where your child stands in the subject that drives everything else. A clear starting point matters more than having the right curriculum on paper.
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The Annual Assessment
Each year, your child must be assessed, and the results must be filed with your school district superintendent. Unlike states where test results stay in the family's files, Washington requires the results to be submitted to the district. This is an important distinction from less regulated states, and it means the assessment needs to be completed and documented with enough lead time to meet filing requirements before the school year ends.
The assessment must be conducted by someone other than the parent, unless the parent holds a current Washington teaching certificate. Certificated parents may conduct the assessment themselves.
Washington accepts several assessment methods. A nationally standardized achievement test administered by a qualified person is the most commonly used option. A portfolio or other assessment conducted by a certificated teacher or qualified evaluator is also accepted. The results submitted to the district document that instruction is occurring and that the child is progressing.
Washington has a consequence provision worth understanding before you choose an assessment method: if a child scores below the 30th percentile on a standardized test in the same subject area in two consecutive school years, the district may require the family to make changes to the curriculum or instructional approach for that subject. This is not common, but it is a real distinction from states like North Carolina where scores carry no automatic consequences. Families whose children test below grade level in any subject should discuss this with their evaluator before deciding between a standardized test and an evaluator-based portfolio review.
Withdrawing Your Child from a Washington Public School
Send written notice of withdrawal to your child's school and file your Declaration of Intent with the district superintendent within two weeks of beginning home-based instruction. Keep copies of both documents.
If your child has an Individualized Education Program, mandatory special education services through the public school end at withdrawal. Washington law allows home-based instruction students with disabilities to access certain public school services voluntarily, but the services tied to an IEP end when the child leaves the public system. Talk with your district's special education office before withdrawing if your child currently receives services under an IEP.
Washington law also allows home-based instruction students to participate in extracurricular activities at their resident public school, including sports, music, and other programs. Access and specific enrollment requirements vary by district. Contact your district directly to understand what is available and how to enroll, since policies differ.
High School, Transcripts, and Diplomas in Washington
Washington does not set graduation requirements or diploma standards for home-based instruction programs. You establish the requirements, track credits through grades 9 to 12, and issue the diploma when the student meets them. A parent-issued diploma and transcript from a Washington home-based instruction program are accepted by Washington colleges, the University of Washington system, Washington State University, and most employers and licensing bodies.
Most Washington public universities ask for SAT or ACT scores from home-based instruction applicants alongside the parent-issued transcript. A clear transcript listing course names, credit hours, and grades by year is the foundation. For selective programs, course descriptions or syllabi strengthen the application. The Homeschool Teacher Guide covers how to build a high school plan that holds up to college review.
Washington's Running Start program allows qualifying high school students to take community college courses tuition-free. Home-based instruction students may be eligible for Running Start; contact the specific community college for their enrollment requirements and eligibility criteria, since they vary by institution.
No State Funding for Washington Home-Based Instruction Families
Washington does not have an education savings account or voucher program for families providing home-based instruction under §28A.200.010. All costs for curriculum, testing, evaluation, and other educational materials are the family's responsibility.
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A Note from Homeschool Teacher Guide: What This Really Means for You
Washington's three compliance steps, filing the declaration, meeting the instructor qualification, and submitting the annual assessment to the district, are manageable once you know which path applies to you. The 45-quarter-credit path covers most families with any college experience, and if you have an associate degree or more, you cleared that bar years ago. The annual assessment submitted to the district is the step that feels most formal, but it means scheduling a test or evaluation in spring, getting the results back, and filing them before the school year closes.
The 30th-percentile consequence provision is the piece to understand clearly before choosing the standardized test route. If your child has a learning difference, or is genuinely working below grade level in a specific subject, an evaluator assessment that documents reasonable progress relative to their own ability is a better fit than a standardized test with a hard percentile floor. Washington gives you that option. Use it deliberately, matched to your child's actual situation, rather than defaulting to whichever test is most convenient to order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the instructor qualification options for home-based instruction in Washington?
Washington RCW §28A.200.010 gives four options: have 45 college quarter credit hours in any subject; hold a valid Washington teaching certificate; complete a course in home-based instruction approved by OSPI; or have a Washington-certificated teacher supervise the program, meeting monthly with the child, reviewing progress quarterly, and remaining available for consultation.
When do we file the Declaration of Intent in Washington?
By September 15 each year, or within two weeks of beginning instruction if you start mid-year. The declaration goes to the superintendent of your local school district and must include each child's name and age and a confirmation that instruction will cover the required subject areas.
What subjects does Washington require for home-based instruction?
Eleven subject areas: reading, writing, spelling, mathematics, science, social studies, history, health, physical education, art and music appreciation, and occupational education. Washington does not specify textbooks, instructional methods, or hours per subject.
Does Washington require the annual assessment results to be submitted to the school district?
Yes. Unlike states where test results stay in the family's files, Washington requires the assessment results to be filed with the district superintendent each year. The assessment must be conducted by someone other than the parent, unless the parent holds a Washington teaching certificate.
What happens if our child scores below the 30th percentile on the annual assessment?
If a child scores below the 30th percentile in the same subject area in two consecutive school years, the district may require changes to the curriculum or instructional approach for that subject. This provision applies to standardized test results. If you use an evaluator-based assessment documenting reasonable progress relative to the child's own ability, this percentile threshold does not apply.
Sources
Washington Revised Code §28A.200.010, Home-Based Instruction (WA State Legislature)
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: Home-Based Instruction
HSLDA: How to Comply with Washington's Homeschool Law