Homeschooling in Washington

Legal Framework

Homeschooling in Washington is governed by RCW 28A.200 (Home-Based Instruction) and related provisions in RCW 28A.225 (Compulsory School Attendance). Washington gives homeschool families strong protections for parental rights while requiring annual notification, qualified instruction, and annual assessment. The law explicitly states that parents "shall be subject only to those minimum state laws and regulations which are necessary to insure that a sufficient basic educational opportunity is provided."

Compulsory Education Ages

Washington's compulsory attendance covers ages 8 through 18, which is one of the latest start ages in the country. Children who are younger than 8 are not required to be in school or a homeschool program. This gives Washington families extra flexibility in the early years.

Declaration of Intent

Each parent whose child is receiving home-based instruction must file an annual Declaration of Intent with the superintendent of the local school district. The declaration must include:

• The name and age of each child being homeschooled
• Whether a certificated person will be supervising the instruction
• Must be in the format prescribed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)

Your 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 if starting mid-year. This is a notification — not a request for permission.

Teacher Qualifications (Four Pathways)

Washington is one of the states that requires teacher qualifications, but it offers four different ways to meet the requirement. You must satisfy one of the following:

1. Certificated person supervision — A currently employed, Washington-state-certified teacher supervises your instruction. They must average at least one contact hour per week with your child and jointly plan educational objectives with you.
2. College credit — You have completed at least 45 college quarter credits (approximately 30 semester credits) from any accredited institution.
3. Home-based instruction course — You have completed a course in home-based education at a postsecondary institution or vocational-technical institute. These courses are generally short and do not require extensive time commitment.
4. Superintendent approval — The superintendent of your local school district deems you "sufficiently qualified" to provide home-based instruction.

Most families meet the requirement through option 2 (college credits) or option 1 (certificated person supervision). If you do not have 45 college credits, finding a certificated person to supervise your homeschool is a common and workable path.

Required Subjects

Washington requires instruction in 11 subject areas:

• Reading
• Writing
• Spelling
• Language
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social studies
• History
• Health
• Occupational education
• Art and music appreciation

These subjects do not need to be taught as separate courses. You can integrate them across your curriculum. The law protects your right to make "all decisions relating to philosophy or doctrine, selection of books, teaching materials and curriculum, and methods, timing, and place" of instruction.

Record Keeping

Washington does not specify detailed record-keeping requirements in the statute, but maintaining organized records is essential for demonstrating compliance. Keep attendance logs, curriculum records, assessment results, and work samples. These records are especially important if you ever need to transfer your child to public or private school or prepare college applications.

No State Funding Programs

Washington is one of only a few Western states that does not offer any form of ESA, education choice tax credit, voucher, or education tax scholarship for homeschool families. There is no state-level financial support specifically for home educators.

Proposed ESA Legislation

House Bill 1615 has been introduced to create a "Students First" ESA program in Washington. If passed, it would fund Education Savings Accounts primarily for:

• Students receiving special education services
• Students from low-income families
• Students assigned to failing public schools

Eligible expenses would include private school tuition, textbooks, tutoring, exam fees, homeschool curriculum, educational therapies, and postsecondary education services. As of early 2026, this bill has not passed. [VERIFY current status of HB 1615]

Federal Tax-Advantaged Accounts

Your primary financial tools are at the federal level:

• Coverdell Education Savings Account (ESA) — Save up to $2,000 per child per year tax-free for K–12 expenses including curriculum, books, supplies, tutoring, and computer equipment
• 529 College Savings Plans — Washington offers the GET (Guaranteed Education Tuition) plan and the DreamAhead College Investment Plan. Under federal law, up to $10,000 per year may be used for K–12 tuition. Washington has no state income tax, so there is no state tax deduction for 529 contributions.

Public School Access: A Significant Benefit

One of Washington's best financial advantages for homeschoolers is robust access to public school resources. Under state law, homeschooled students can participate as part-time students, gaining access to:

• Individual public school classes — Your child can take one or more classes at the local public school while homeschooling for other subjects
• Extracurricular activities and sports — Homeschooled students can participate in public school sports, clubs, and activities
• Ancillary services — If eligible, your child may receive special education services, counseling, and other support services from the district

The school district is required by law to permit enrollment of part-time students and provide these services on the same basis as full-time students (per RCW 28A.150.350). This effectively gives Washington homeschoolers access to publicly funded resources that many other states do not offer.