Homeschool Law
Homeschool Law in Washington State
RCW 28A.200.020 -- Home Based Instruction -- states: "The state hereby recognizes that parents who are causing their children to receive home-based instruction under RCW 28A.225.010(4) shall be subject only to those minimum state laws and regulations which are necessary to insure that a sufficient basic educational opportunity is provided to the children receiving such instruction. Therefore, all decisions relating to philosophy or doctrine, selection of books, teaching materials and curriculum, and methods, timing, and place in the provision or evaluation of home-based instruction shall be the responsibility of the parent except for matters specifically referred to in this chapter."
In Washington State the Compulsory Attendance Age is from eight years old to eighteen years old. If your child is 8 years old on August 31 of the current school year, then the intent to home school is to be filed.
In Washington State we are required to have 180 days of instruction.
This is a list of the required subjects that are to be taught to home school students in Washington State.
Occupational education, science, math, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and the development of an appreciation of art and music. To homeschool in Washington, parents must comply with one of four options:
Be supervised by a certificated person who provides a minimum of one contact hour a week average per month.
OR
Have forty-five college level quarter credit hours or its equivalent in semester hours.
OR
Complete a course in home-based instruction at a post secondary institution or vocational-technical institute.
OR
Have the local school superintendent deem you sufficiently qualified.
Parents are required to:
1. File a Declaration of Intent at proper time.
The statement shall include the name and age of the child, shall specify whether a certificated person will be supervising the instruction, and shall be written in a format prescribed by the superintendent of public instruction. Each parent shall file the statement by September 15th of the school year or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester with the superintendent of the public school district within which the parent resides or the district that accepts the transfer, and the student shall be deemed a transfer student of the nonresident district.
2. Keep certain records to be forwarded to any other public or private school to which the child transfers.
Ensure that test scores or annual academic progress assessments and immunization records, together with any other records that are kept relating to the instructional and educational activities provided, are forwarded to any other public or private school to which the child transfers. At the time of a transfer to a public school, the superintendent of the local school district in which the child enrolls may require a standardized achievement test to be administered and shall have the authority to determine the appropriate grade and course level placement of the child after consultation with parents and review of the child's records; and 3. Have the child take a standardized test annually (those approved by the State Board of Education and given by a qualified person) or have the child evaluated by a certificated person currently working within the field of education. The test/evaluation is only for parent information; it is not required to be seen by school officials unless the parent wishes to admit the student to public school.
For more information this link will take you to Know Your Homeschool Law on the WHO website.
Beginning to Homeschool
by Nicole Neale
Here you will find the outline from the workshop Nicole conducted at the 2008 Inland Northwest Homeschool Conference.
Declaration of Intent Form
VHS strongly encourages all members to file this Declaration of Intent form with your local school district. We are even making it easy for you by providing some of the area administrative office addresses.
The following information is comprised from the Q & A section on the CHNOW website:
Many of the district forms ask questions that homeschoolers, by the law,
are NOT required to answer. Some examples would be that we are not required to
list our address, only the district we reside in. We also do not have to list our
children’s grade levels, only their birthdates are required by the law.
If you are using a certified instructor you do not need to provide the
name of that instructor. If your child is enrolled in an alternative
learning program you do not need to file an intent form as you are no
longer under homeschooling laws.
If you would like additional information you will find links on the VHS website to some very informative articles.
For more information about the report
you may visit the CHNOW website.
Homeschool Qualifying Course
Karen Allwine is the instructor of the Homeschool Qualifying Course through the Community Colleges of Spokane. The focus of this course, though discussing "natural learning" is designed to teach parents where to find and how to select and use good curriculum. Topics in the course include the law, support for homeschoolers and community services, testing, socialization, child development, learning styles, and the 11 required subjects. Both secular and Christian curriculum are shown and the strengths and weaknesses of each program are discussed. You can contact Karen by e-mail at kga117@Icehouse.net.
Marilyn Ahrendt offers a Home School Qualifying Class three times a year in August, January and April. For more information contact The Parent Education Office at 533-4895 or e-mail Marilyn Ahrendt.
Testing Services
Family Learning Organization www.familylearning.org
PO Box 1750 Mead, WA 99021
1-800-405-8378
509-467-2552
Karen Allwine administers tests which are hand-scored and an individualized report is prepared and discussed with the parent. If remediation or enrichment is needed, specific suggestions will be provided. Karen is also available to test public school children whose parents need or want an outside assessment. Rosehill Academy is also a Sunday test site for the pre-college SAT. The Sunday test sites are only for those students who cannot take the test on Saturday due to religious beliefs. Karen also administers the PSAT annually to sophomores and juniors. You can contact Karen by e-mail at kga117@Icehouse.net.
River City Educational Services offers the California Achievement Test CAT 5 Survey in a group setting at various locations. For more information visit their website, www.homeschoolrces.com.
Education NW Resources provides individual or group homeschool testing that meets the state's annual testing requirement. Visit www.educationnwresources.com for more information.
Warning On Virtual Schools
Here is the CHNOW information about
Virtual Schools in Washington State.
2008 Warning on Virtual Schools
Journey Stories
A Fox in the Henhouse