To withdraw your child from public school in Washington, file an annual Declaration of Intent to provide home-based instruction with your local school district superintendent, and notify the school. The declaration is due by September 15, or within two weeks of starting if mid-year. The home-based instructor must meet one qualification path: 45 college quarter credit hours, a Washington teaching certificate, completion of a home-based instruction course approved by OSPI, or being deemed qualified by the superintendent. Keep a copy. Compulsory age runs from 8 to 18. Confirm procedures at k12.wa.us.
Verified June 2026 against Washington Revised Code Section 28A.200.010 and the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Confirm current procedures at k12.wa.us before relying on this for legal decisions.
| Step | What You Do in Washington |
|---|---|
| 1. Meet a qualification | 45 college quarter credits, a teaching certificate, an OSPI-approved home-based instruction course, or superintendent approval |
| 2. File the Declaration of Intent | With your district by September 15, or within two weeks of a mid-year start |
| 3. Notify the school | Tell the school the child is withdrawn to home-based instruction |
| 4. Keep records | Save the declaration and your withdrawal notice |
| Compulsory age | 8 to 18 |
How Withdrawal Works in Washington
Washington runs home-based instruction on an annual declaration filed with your district. You file a Declaration of Intent with your local school district superintendent, which establishes your home-based instruction, and the district records it. There is no approval vote. Once the declaration is on file, your child is a home-based instruction student under Washington Revised Code Section 28A.200.010.
The declaration has two requirements you sort out before filing: you confirm that instruction will cover the 11 required subject areas, and you confirm that the instructor meets one of the law's four qualification paths. Getting those two things clear is the preparation step. Then you notify your child's school so attendance tracking stops.
Washington's compulsory attendance age begins at 8, not 6 or 7 as in most states. Children younger than 8 are not subject to the 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. For children 8 and older, the September 15 deadline or two-week mid-year window applies and must be met.
Step 1: Confirm Your Qualification Path
The home-based instructor in Washington must meet one of four qualification paths before filing. Most families meet one of the first two without much difficulty.
45 college quarter credit hours. If the instructor has completed at least 45 quarter credit hours from an accredited college or university in any field, you qualify under this path. This is the path most Washington families use. Quarter credits are the unit used by most Washington colleges and universities. An associate degree far exceeds this threshold. Two or three semesters of coursework from a community college likely meets it. The credits do not need to be in education or any subject related to what you plan to teach.
A Washington teaching certificate. If the instructor holds a current, valid Washington State teaching certificate, that satisfies the qualification requirement. A teaching certificate from another state does not qualify under this path. If your Washington certificate has lapsed, contact the Washington Professional Educator Standards Board about renewal before relying on it.
An OSPI-approved home-based instruction course. If neither of the first two paths applies, 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. Check the current list before enrolling, as approval status can change.
Being deemed qualified by the superintendent. Under this fourth path, you contact your local district superintendent and request a determination that you are qualified to provide home-based instruction. The superintendent reviews your background and makes a decision. This path is available for families who do not fit the first three.
All four qualification paths are covered in depth in the Washington homeschooling guide. Before you build your curriculum plan, run a free reading assessment so you know exactly where your child stands when you begin.
Want to see what a structured plan looks like before you commit?
Two chapters, a curriculum breakdown, and a worksheet -- free.
See inside before you buy. Delivered by email.
Step 2: File the Declaration of Intent
File a written Declaration of Intent to provide home-based instruction with your local school district superintendent. For the standard school year, the deadline is September 15. If you are withdrawing mid-year, you must file within two weeks of the date your home-based instruction begins. That two-week window is shorter than most states allow for mid-year starts, so set your start date first and count back to make sure the declaration is sent in time.
The declaration must include your child's name and age, and a statement confirming that instruction will cover the required subject areas. You do not need to list specific curricula or textbooks in the declaration. You do need to confirm that the instructor meets one of the four qualification paths, though you are not required to document the qualification in the declaration itself.
Send the declaration by certified mail or through another method that gives you delivery confirmation. The district records the declaration; it does not review or approve your program. Keep a copy of what you send and your proof of delivery. If you move to a different district during the year, file a new declaration with the new district within two weeks of the move.
The September 15 deadline arrives quickly in the first year of home-based instruction. Add filing the declaration to your setup list alongside choosing curriculum and arranging the school space, not as something to do after everything else is settled.
Step 3: Notify the School and Keep Records
With your declaration filed, send your child's school a brief written notice stating the child is withdrawn to home-based instruction. This is a separate step from the declaration to the district superintendent. The school needs to know so it updates its enrollment records and stops marking your child absent. A short note with your child's name, the effective date, and a statement that the child is now in home-based instruction is enough. Keep a dated copy.
Request school records at the same time you send the withdrawal notice. Immunization records, report cards, and transcripts are the documents most families want, and they are far easier to collect at the point of withdrawal than to track down months later.
For a mid-year withdrawal, file the declaration first within the two-week window, then send the withdrawal notice to the school close in time. Filing the declaration first establishes your home-based instruction legally. The school notice ends the public school enrollment. Together the two documents give you a clean record of the transition. Once the administrative steps are done, the Guide covers building a teaching plan from scratch.
Choosing the right curriculum gets easier when you know what to teach, what to skip, and where to start.
Get the GuideA simple step-by-step plan for getting started.
After Withdrawal and Special Education
Withdrawal starts Washington's annual home-based instruction cycle. After filing the declaration, you cover the 11 required subject areas through the year and then complete an annual assessment with results filed with the district superintendent. Unlike states where test results stay in the family's files, Washington requires the results to be submitted to the district. The assessment must be conducted by someone other than the parent unless the parent holds a Washington teaching certificate. Our Washington homeschooling guide covers the assessment options in full. Knowing this requirement from day one helps you build the school year around it rather than scrambling at the end.
If your child has an Individualized Education Program, the special education services provided through the public school end when you withdraw to home-based instruction. Washington districts may offer certain services to home-based instruction students with disabilities on a voluntary basis, but the IEP entitlement ends at withdrawal. Contact your district's special education office before withdrawing if services are in place, so you understand what changes and what, if anything, continues voluntarily.
Washington also allows home-based instruction students to participate in extracurricular activities at their resident public school, including sports and music. Access and enrollment rules vary by district. Check with your district directly about available programs and requirements, since policies differ across the state.
A Note from Homeschool Teacher Guide: What This Really Means for You
Washington is a clean two-part move: confirm you meet one of the four qualification paths, then file your Declaration of Intent with the district. We would settle the qualification question first, because it is the only part that takes any thought, and most families clear it easily with the 45-credit path or by being deemed qualified by the superintendent. Mind the timing -- September 15 for the year or within two weeks of a mid-year start -- file the declaration, send a short note to your child's school, and keep copies of both.
Then our Washington homeschooling guide covers the 11 required subjects and the annual assessment you file with the district each year. The assessment submission to the district is the step that distinguishes Washington from lighter-regulation states, so plan for it from the start of the school year rather than treating it as an afterthought in spring.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Withdraw My Child From Public School in Washington?
File an annual Declaration of Intent to provide home-based instruction with your district superintendent and notify the school. The declaration establishes your home-based instruction.
When Is the Declaration of Intent Due in Washington?
By September 15 for the school year, or within two weeks of starting if you withdraw mid-year.
What Qualification Do I Need to Home School in Washington?
One of four: 45 college quarter credit hours, a Washington teaching certificate, completion of a home-based instruction course approved by OSPI, or being deemed qualified by the superintendent.
Do I Need District Approval to Withdraw in Washington?
No approval vote is required. The district records your declaration. Once it is on file with a valid qualification path confirmed, your home-based instruction is established.
What Happens to My Child's IEP When I Withdraw in Washington?
Public school special education services end when you withdraw to home-based instruction. Districts may offer limited services, but the IEP entitlement does not carry over. Contact the special education office before withdrawing if services are in place.
Sources
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: Home-Based Instruction
Washington Revised Code Section 28A.200.010
HSLDA: How to Comply with Washington's Homeschool Law