How to Start Homeschooling in Washington (2026 Guide)

The Path · Getting Started

Five steps from wondering if you can to teaching on your own terms.

№ 01

01

Make sure you qualify to teach.

Washington is one of the few states that asks the teaching parent to meet a qualification standard - but the bar is reachable for nearly every family. RCW 28A.225.010(4) gives you four routes, and you only need one. Most parents qualify through college credits or a short home-based instruction course.

The four routes

Meet any one of these:

45 college-level quarter credits (~30 semester credits)
Complete a qualifying course in home-based instruction
Weekly supervision by a Washington-certificated person
Be deemed sufficiently qualified by your district superintendent

02

File your Declaration of Intent.

Each year, file a signed Declaration of Intent with the superintendent of your resident school district - by September 15, or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester if you start mid-year. It's a notification, not an application: the district records it, and that's the whole transaction.

Your declaration includes

Each child's name & age
Whether a certificated person supervises the instruction
Your signature, on the district's prescribed form
Refile every year you continue homeschooling

03

Map out the eleven subjects.

Washington lists eleven required subject areas, but the law itself says the requirements 'shall be liberally construed' - the state expects home-based instruction to look less like a classroom and more like real life. No curriculum approval, no prescribed textbooks, no methodology rules.

Useful starting points

Washington State Learning Standards (for benchmarks)
Local co-ops, learning pods & park-day groups
Library programs, museum passes & community classes
Curriculum review sites like Cathy Duffy

04

Set your rhythm & your records.

Plan for 180 days of instruction per year, or an annual average of 1,000 hours - the same standard applied to approved private schools. Hours can be flexible (mornings, weekends, field trips, kitchen science) so long as the year holds together. Keep assessment results and immunization records as the child's permanent file.

Keep on file

Annual test or assessment results
Immunization records
Attendance / hour log (recommended)
Sample work, completed courses, transcripts

05

Arrange the annual assessment.

Every year, your child either takes a standardized test from the State Board of Education's approved list (administered by a qualified individual) or receives a written academic progress assessment from a Washington-certificated educator. Either way, you keep the results - nothing is submitted to the district. If results show a child isn't progressing, you make a good-faith effort to address it.

Two options

State board-approved standardized test, qualified administrator
Written progress assessment by a certificated educator
Results go into your child's permanent record at home
Forward results only if your child transfers to a school

The Law · Washington

Two legal routes - choose the one that fits

№ 02

Home-based instruction has been expressly legal in Washington since 1985 under RCW 28A.200 and RCW 28A.225.010(4), which also instructs that its requirements 'shall be liberally construed.' Families either file an annual Declaration of Intent and teach independently, or enroll in an approved private school's extension program and follow that school's policies instead.

Option 01

Home-Based Instruction

Best for families who want full control of curriculum and pace, with one annual filing.

File the Declaration of Intent annually by Sep 15
Meet one of four parent qualification routes
Teach 11 subjects, 180 days or ~1,000 hours/year
Annual test or assessment - results stay with you
Governed by RCW 28A.200.010-.020

Option 02

Private School Extension Program

Best for families who want a school of record handling paperwork, transcripts, and support.

Enroll through an approved private school's extension program
No Declaration of Intent filed with the district
School's policies govern records & oversight
Tuition or enrollment fees typically apply
Operates under RCW 28A.195.010

Requirements · Curriculum

Eleven subjects, liberally construed.

№ 03

Washington's list looks long, but the statute itself says these requirements 'shall be liberally construed' - the legislature recognized that home-based instruction is naturally less structured and more experiential than a classroom. How you cover each area is entirely yours to decide.

01

Reading

Phonics, fluency, comprehension, and literacy across genres and levels.

02

Writing

Composition, grammar, mechanics, and writing across the curriculum.

03

Spelling

Word study, orthography, and vocabulary woven into daily work.

04

Language

Expression, listening, discussion, and command of spoken English.

05

Mathematics

Numeracy, arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and applied reasoning.

06

Science

Inquiry, observation, life sciences, physical sciences, earth & space.

07

Social studies

Geography, cultures, economics, and how communities work.

08

History

World & American history, chronology, primary sources, and context.

09

Health

Nutrition, safety, fitness, and caring for body and mind.

10

Occupational education

Practical skills, work habits, and exposure to trades and careers.

11

Art & music appreciation

Developing an appreciation of art and music - concerts, museums, making things.

15

September deadline

File your Declaration of Intent by September 15 each year - or within two weeks of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester start.

1,000

Hours per year

Plan 180 instruction days or an annual average of 1,000 hours - and the law says to construe this liberally.

11

Required subjects

Reading, writing, spelling, language, math, science, social studies, history, health, occupational education, art & music appreciation.

4

Qualification routes

College credits, a qualifying course, certificated supervision, or superintendent approval - you only need one.

Questions · Answered Honestly

Straight answers to the questions Washington parents ask

№ 04

Do I need a teaching degree to homeschool in Washington?

No - but Washington does ask the teaching parent to meet one of four qualification routes under RCW 28A.225.010(4): 45 college-level quarter credits (about 30 semester credits), completion of a course in home-based instruction at a postsecondary or vocational-technical institute, supervision by a Washington-certificated person averaging one contact hour per week, or a determination by your district superintendent that you are sufficiently qualified. Most parents qualify through credits or the short course, and no degree or license is required.

Can I withdraw my child from public school mid-year?

Yes. The law anticipates mid-year starts: file your Declaration of Intent within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester, then formally withdraw your child. Document both dates in writing and ask the school for written acknowledgment of the withdrawal so attendance records close out cleanly.

Does the school district have to approve my homeschool?

No. The Declaration of Intent is a notification, not an application - the district records it and cannot approve or reject your curriculum, your schedule, or your methods. The one exception is qualification route four: if you're relying on being 'deemed sufficiently qualified' by the superintendent, that specific determination is the district's call. The other three routes need no district sign-off at all.

What happens with the annual test - does the district see it?

No. Each year your child either takes a standardized test from the State Board of Education's approved list or receives a written academic progress assessment from a Washington-certificated educator - but the results stay with you, in your child's permanent record at home. Nothing is submitted to the district. If results show your child isn't making reasonable progress for their age or stage, the law asks you to make a good-faith effort to remedy the deficiency - it stays your call how.

What records do I need to keep?

Two things by law: annual test scores or academic progress assessments, and immunization records - together these form your child's permanent record, kept by you. If your child later transfers to a public or private school, you forward those records. Most families also keep an attendance or hour log against the 180-day / 1,000-hour standard, plus sample work and transcripts for the high school years.

Can my homeschooled child play public-school sports?

Yes. RCW 28A.150.350 requires districts to allow part-time enrollment and ancillary services for home-based students, and WIAA rules let qualifying homeschooled students participate through the school - typically by filing the WIAA Rule 18.6.3 form annually with the principal's office and meeting the same eligibility rules as enrolled students. Talk to the school's athletic director early about deadlines and paperwork.

Can I issue a homeschool diploma in Washington?

Yes. Parents set graduation requirements and issue the diploma and transcript - Washington does not issue a state diploma for home-based instruction, and it doesn't need to. Parent-issued diplomas are accepted by most colleges, universities, and employers; keep a clean transcript and your annual assessment file as backup documentation.

Does Washington offer funding or an ESA for homeschoolers?

Not currently. Washington has no Education Savings Account or homeschool funding program as of 2026. The upside is independence: no funding strings means no spending audits, no curriculum approvals, and no extra reporting. Part-time public school enrollment remains a free option for classes, services, and activities. Always check current legislation, as policy can change.

Resources · Washington

Where Washington families get their bearings

№ 05

Official - State

OSPI: Home-Based Instruction

Washington's official guidance - the declaration process, approved test list, and 'The Pink Book,' OSPI's plain-language explanation of the homeschool statutes.

Visit OSPI

Community - Statewide

Washington Homeschool Organization (WHO)

The state's long-running inclusive homeschool organization - law guidance, new-homeschooler workshops, and a statewide network of support groups.

Visit WHO

Legal - National

Home School Legal Defense Association

Plain-language summaries of Washington law, plus member-only legal advocacy if you ever face questions about your declaration or qualifications.

Read the Law

The Washington Getting Started Kit

Everything from this guide, ready to use.

The Washington Getting Started Kit turns the law into paperwork you can actually file - five polished, print-ready documents built specifically for Washington's requirements, so your first year starts organized instead of overwhelming.

Washington Declaration of Intent template - pre-formatted with every element RCW 28A.200.010 requires; ready for your district's September 15 deadline.
Parent Qualification Worksheet - walk through all four RCW 28A.225.010(4) routes and document the one you meet, with evidence checklist.
Washington Compliance Checklist - every legal requirement as a checkable item, including the annual test-or-assessment choice and record rules.
Recordkeeping Log - attendance and subject tracking matched to the 180-day / 1,000-hour standard, with a permanent-record cover sheet.
Weekly Planning Template - built around the eleven required subjects, with room for co-ops, part-time classes, and field trips.

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