What are the homeschool requirements in Washington?

Washington requires a simple notice to superintendent of the public school district where the parent resides, or the district that accepts the transfer by September 15 of the school year, or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester. Testing is required annually. 11 subjects must be taught.

What paperwork do I need to file in Washington?

You need to submit a simple notice to superintendent of the public school district where the parent resides, or the district that accepts the transfer. The deadline is September 15 of the school year, or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester. This must be renewed annually.

Washington Homeschool Requirements Checklist

Q: What subjects are required for homeschooling in Washington?

Washington requires instruction in 11 subjects: reading, writing, spelling, language, mathematics, science, social studies, history, and more.

Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in Washington, based on RCW 28A.200.010. Washington is classified as High regulation.

This is the general checklist for Standard Home-Based Instruction (45 College Credits), the most common of Washington's 5 pathways. Our free wizard customizes this for your family, including grade, pathway, enrollment status, and IEP.

Your compliance checklist

Do first

File your Notice of Intent

Submit to superintendent of the public school district where the parent resides, or the district that accepts the transfer. Deadline: September 15 of the school year, or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester.

Deadline: September 15 of the school year, or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester

More details

Include: child's name, child's age, certificated supervision status

Confirm your qualification

This pathway requires the required qualifications.

Deadline: Before you start

Ongoing

Required subjects

reading, writing, spelling, language, mathematics, science, social studies, history, health, occupational education, art and music appreciation

Meet instructional time requirements

Minimum: 1000 hours/year. Conditions: Home-based instruction is measured by total annual hours (1,000 for grades 1-12, 450 for kindergarten), not a day count. The 180-day figure in RCW 28A.195.010(1) applies to private schools, which may use it as an alternative to hours. The 1,000-hour baseline applies to grades 1–12; kindergarten uses 450 hours. RCW 28A.225.010 incorporates the private-school annual hours and calls for liberal construction of home-based educational activities. This does not impose a separate universal 180-day homeschool calendar. RCW 28A.225.010(4) measures home-based instruction by total annual hours, not hours per day, and subsection (5) says the quantity of activities is liberally construed.

Show your child's progress

Standardized test or Teacher evaluation — annually. Conditions: Results stay in the child's permanent records at home; the statute does not require sending them to the district or OSPI. They must be forwarded if the child transfers to another school (RCW 28A.200.010(1)(b)).

More details

Consequence: Parent must make good faith effort to remedy any deficiency

Renew each year

You must renew your homeschool notice each year by September 15 (or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester).

Filing requirements

What to file: simple notice
Send to: superintendent of the public school district where the parent resides, or the district that accepts the transfer
Deadline: September 15 of the school year, or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester
How often: annual

Your notice must include:

•child's name
•child's age
•certificated supervision status

Practical tip: Your Declaration of Intent must include your child's name and age, and whether a certificated person will supervise instruction. This is a notification, not a request for approval. File by September 15 or within two weeks of the start of any public school quarter.

RCW 28A.200.010(1)(a) (declaration of intent to provide home-based instruction)

Ongoing requirements

Required subjects

✓reading
✓writing
✓spelling
✓language
✓mathematics
✓science
✓social studies
✓history
✓health
✓occupational education
✓art and music appreciation

RCW 28A.225.010(4) (curriculum and instruction in basic skills)

Instructional time

Varies by pathway. Standard Home-Based Instruction (45 College Credits): null; Home-Based Instruction (Approved Course): null; Home-Based Instruction (Certified Teacher Supervision): null; Home-Based Instruction (Deemed Qualified by Superintendent): null; Private School Extension Program: 180

Hours per year:: 1000

RCW 28A.225.010(4) (hours equivalent to approved private schools per RCW 28A.195.010); RCW 28A.195.010 (1,000 hours grades 1-12, 450 hours kindergarten, 180 days)

Testing and assessment

Varies by pathway. Standard Home-Based Instruction (45 College Credits): "annual"; Home-Based Instruction (Approved Course): "annual"; Home-Based Instruction (Certified Teacher Supervision): "annual"; Home-Based Instruction (Deemed Qualified by Superintendent): "annual"; Private School Extension Program: null

Accepted types: Standardized test, Teacher evaluation
Frequency: annually

If scores fall short:

Process:
Timeline:
Consequence: Parent must make good faith effort to remedy any deficiency

Practical tip: Choose between a standardized achievement test (no minimum score) or an annual assessment by a certificated person working in education. You keep the results; you do not need to submit them proactively. If progress is inadequate, you must make a good faith effort to remedy any deficiency.

See our full assessment guide for Washington for details.

RCW 28A.200.010(1)(c) (annual standardized test or assessment by certificated person)

Reporting

Varies by pathway. Standard Home-Based Instruction (45 College Credits): "September 15 (or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester)"; Home-Based Instruction (Approved Course): "September 15 (or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester)"; Home-Based Instruction (Certified Teacher Supervision): "September 15 (or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester)"; Home-Based Instruction (Deemed Qualified by Superintendent): "September 15 (or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester)"; Private School Extension Program: null

Annual renewal: Required by September 15 (or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester)

RCW 28A.200.010(1)(a) (annual declaration of intent)

Instructor qualifications

The instructor must have the required qualifications.

RCW 28A.225.010(4)(b) (45 or more college-level quarter credit hours)

Other ways to homeschool in Washington

This checklist covers Standard Home-Based Instruction (45 College Credits), the most common pathway. Washington offers 5 different ways to homeschool, each with different requirements:

•
Standard Home-Based Instruction (45 College Credits)(this checklist) : You file a declaration of intent with your local superintendent each year by September 15, or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester, and teach at home. You qualify by having earned at least 45 college-level quarter credit hours, or the equivalent in semester hours (RCW 28A.225.010(4)(b)). You provide instruction in eleven required subject areas for hours equivalent to approved private schools (1,000 hours for grades 1 through 12). Each year your child takes an approved standardized achievement test or receives a written assessment from a certificated person; there is no minimum score.
•
Home-Based Instruction (Approved Course) : You complete a course in home-based instruction at a postsecondary institution or vocational-technical institute (RCW 28A.225.010(4)(b)), then file a declaration of intent by September 15. Same subject, instructional hour, and assessment requirements as the 45-credit pathway.
•
Home-Based Instruction (Certified Teacher Supervision) : You teach your own child at home under the supervision of a certificated person (certified under chapter 28A.410 RCW) and file a declaration of intent by September 15. Supervision means planning objectives together, a minimum each month of an average of one contact hour per week with your child, and evaluation of your child's progress by the certificated person, who may supervise no more than thirty children (RCW 28A.225.010(4)(a)). Same subject, instructional hour, and assessment requirements as the other home-based pathways.
•
Home-Based Instruction (Deemed Qualified by Superintendent) : Your local school district superintendent deems you sufficiently qualified to provide home-based instruction (RCW 28A.225.010(4)(c)), and you file a declaration of intent by September 15. Same subject, instructional hour, and assessment requirements as the other home-based pathways.
•
Private School Extension Program : Your child is enrolled in an approved private school's extension program, and you teach at home under the supervision of a certificated employee of the school (RCW 28A.195.010). Because your child is enrolled in the school, you do not file a declaration of intent and the home-based testing rules do not apply. The school's certificated supervisor evaluates your child's progress.

Our wizard helps you choose the right one. Compare all pathways for Washington

Get your personalized checklist

This is the general checklist for the most common pathway. The wizard customizes it for your family's specific situation, including grade, pathway, and IEP status.

Get your Washington checklist

Requirements sourced from RCW 28A.200.010. Last reviewed October 2026