Washington Homeschool Laws and Funding (2026-27)

What Washington’s law requires

The law that allows it: RCW 28A.225.010(1)(b) excuses a child from public school attendance when the child is receiving home-based instruction as defined in subsection (4).

“The child is receiving home-based instruction as provided in subsection (4) of this section” RCW 28A.225.010 (compulsory attendance; home-based instruction defined)
Telling the state or district: Parents file a signed declaration of intent every year with the district superintendent, by September 15 or within two weeks of the start of a public school quarter, trimester or semester.

“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” RCW 28A.200 (home-based instruction)
What and how long to teach: Subjects: occupational education, science, mathematics, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and appreciation of art and music.

“including a curriculum and instruction in the basic skills of occupational education, science, mathematics, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and the development of an appreciation of art and music” RCW 28A.225.010 (compulsory attendance; home-based instruction defined)

Hours must equal the total annual program hours per grade level set for approved private schools.

“provided for a number of hours equivalent to the total annual program hours per grade level established for approved private schools” RCW 28A.225.010 (compulsory attendance; home-based instruction defined)
Testing or evaluation: Each year the child takes a standardized achievement test approved by the State Board of Education, given by a qualified person, or gets an annual progress assessment written by a certificated person working in education.

“Ensure that a standardized achievement test approved by the state board of education is administered annually to the child by a qualified individual or that an annual assessment of the student's academic progress is written by a certificated person who is currently working in the field of education.” RCW 28A.200 (home-based instruction)
Records to keep: The annual test or progress assessment becomes part of the child's permanent records, and records go to any school the child transfers to.

“The standardized test administered or the annual academic progress assessment written shall be made a part of the child's permanent records.” RCW 28A.200 (home-based instruction)
Who may teach: The parent must be supervised by a certificated person, have 45 college quarter credits (or the equivalent) or a home-based instruction course, or be deemed qualified by the local superintendent.

“has either earned forty-five college-level quarter credit hours or its equivalent in semester hours or has completed a course in home-based instruction at a postsecondary institution or a vocational-technical institute” RCW 28A.225.010 (compulsory attendance; home-based instruction defined)
Ages the law covers: Compulsory attendance covers children age 8 and under 18.

“All parents in this state of any child eight years of age and under eighteen years of age shall cause such child to attend the public school” RCW 28A.225.010 (compulsory attendance; home-based instruction defined)

The state’s own page for families: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Home-Based Instruction.

State money for homeschoolers in Washington

We have not found an official source saying a Washington program pays homeschooled students.

School choice in Washington Private schools in Washington

Which states pay homeschoolers, and how: Washington next to every other state.

Questions parents ask

Do I have to tell anyone I am homeschooling in Washington?

Parents file a signed declaration of intent every year with the district superintendent, by September 15 or within two weeks of the start of a public school quarter, trimester or semester.

Do homeschoolers in Washington have to take tests?

Each year the child takes a standardized achievement test approved by the State Board of Education, given by a qualified person, or gets an annual progress assessment written by a certificated person working in education.

Can a homeschooler in Washington get state money?

We have not found an official source saying a Washington program pays homeschooled students.

Every line above is our plain-English summary of the quoted text, which is copied from the official page named beside it. Laws change: the quoted page is the authority, and a lawyer or the state can answer questions about your family.

Homeschooling in Washington: what the law requires and who pays

What Washington’s law requires

State money for homeschoolers in Washington

Questions parents ask

Homeschool law in other states