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Homeschool laws in Washington

Washington allows independent home-based instruction, but families must qualify to teach, file an annual declaration of intent, cover the required subject areas, provide an average of 1,000 instructional hours each year, and complete a yearly test or assessment.

Last verified

2026-04-20

Compulsory age range

8-18

Quick-start checklist

What parents need to do first

This is the plain-English checklist a parent can follow to get started without reading a mountain of legal text.

1Confirm that you qualify to provide home-based instruction under one of Washington's allowed teacher-qualification paths.
2File your annual Declaration of Intent with your local district superintendent by the state deadline.
3Choose a curriculum that covers Washington's required subject areas.
4Plan your year so your student receives an average of 1,000 instructional hours.
5Keep basic records, including immunization records and your student's annual test or assessment results.
6Schedule either an approved standardized test or a certified-teacher assessment each year.
7Start a transcript and course record early if your student is moving into high school.

Full breakdown

Every field is designed to answer the real-world compliance questions parents ask first.

Legal status

Homeschooling is legal in Washington if families follow the state's home-based instruction law or use another recognized education option.

Compulsory age range

8-18

Notification required

Yes. Families using home-based instruction file a Declaration of Intent every year.

Who you notify

The superintendent of the local public school district where the child lives.

Notification deadline

By September 15 each year, or within two weeks of the start of the public school quarter, trimester, or semester if you begin later.

Required subjects

Occupational education, Science, Mathematics, Language, Social studies, History, Health, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Appreciation of art and music

Hours or days required

An annual average of 1,000 instructional hours.

Record keeping

Keep annual test or assessment results and immunization records. Families often also keep attendance logs, course lists, and work samples for their own files.

Testing and evaluation

Yes. Each student must complete either an annual standardized achievement test approved by the state board or an annual assessment by a certificated person who is currently working in education.

Testing frequency

Annually.

Teacher qualifications

The parent must meet at least one qualification pathway, such as being supervised by a certificated person, earning enough college credit, completing a qualifying homeschool course, or being approved by the local superintendent as sufficiently qualified.

Curriculum freedom

Moderate. Parents choose the curriculum and day-to-day teaching approach, but they still need to cover the required subject areas, meet the hour requirement, and complete the yearly assessment.

Umbrella school option

Yes. Washington families may also use certain private school extension or parent-partnership style options, but those operate under a different legal path than independent home-based instruction.

Virtual school option

Yes. Public online and alternative learning programs are available in Washington, but those are public-school options rather than independent homeschooling.

Special education

Homeschool students may be able to access some public school services, but availability can depend on the district and whether the student is also enrolled in a public program.

High school diploma

Parents can generally issue a homeschool diploma and transcript for a student who completes the family's graduation plan.

College admission

Washington colleges commonly consider homeschool transcripts, course records, test scores, and Running Start or community college work when applicable.

Sports access

Yes. Washington generally allows homeschool students to participate in public school extracurricular activities, including sports, if they meet district and activity eligibility rules.

Dual enrollment

Yes. Washington homeschool students may be able to use dual-enrollment options such as Running Start if they meet program requirements.

Notes

First-pass draft. The official OSPI homeschooling page was blocked during capture with repeated 403 responses, so this draft relies more heavily on the cited Washington statutes plus the HSLDA summary for practical framing. Re-check OSPI directly before publication for forms and process wording.

Official sources

Parent-friendly reminder

This page is designed to reduce confusion, not replace legal advice. If something changes or feels unclear, verify with your state Department of Education before making compliance decisions.

Want more homeschool guidance and encouragement? Follow Dani at @thedanicerrato.