Washington homeschool requirements and record-keeping, 2026-27
In Washington you file a signed declaration of intent each year by September 15, or within two weeks of the start of a public school quarter, trimester or semester. It goes to the superintendent of your district. The parent teaching must qualify in one of three ways: supervision by a certificated teacher, 45 college quarter credits or a home-based instruction course, or approval by the district superintendent. Instruction covers the listed subjects for hours equivalent to approved private schools (180 days, or an average of 1,000 hours for grades 1-12). Every year your child takes an approved standardized test or receives a written assessment from a certificated person, and the result goes into the child's permanent records.
What you file and when
- Signed declaration of intent (child's name and age; whether a certificated person supervises) in the OSPI format
To: Superintendent of the district where you live (or a district that accepts a transfer). When: By September 15 each year, or within two weeks of the start of any public school quarter, trimester or semester
Dates to keep in mind
- Annual declaration of intent due: September 15
What you keep
- Annual standardized test results or annual written assessment (part of the child's permanent records)
- Immunization records
- Any other records you keep of instruction, forwarded if the child transfers
How long to keep it. Test or assessment results become part of the child's permanent records, kept by the parent.
Who evaluates. For the annual-assessment route: a certificated person currently working in the field of education. A test must be given by a qualified individual.
Hours, days and subjects
- 1,000 hours a year
- 180 days a year
- Compulsory attendance ages: 8 to 18
Equivalent to approved private schools: 180 school days or the equivalent, with an annual average of 1,000 instructional hours for grades 1-12 (450 for kindergarten). The law says to construe this liberally.
Subjects. Basic skills of occupational education; Science; Mathematics; Language; Social studies; History; Health; Reading; Writing; Spelling; Appreciation of art and music.
Work out your hours for Washington with the free calculator.
Things people miss
- Compulsory attendance starts at 8 in Washington, so a declaration is needed from age 8.
- Test results are not filed with the district, but they are forwarded if your child transfers to a school.
- If a test or assessment shows the child is not making reasonable progress, the parent makes a good-faith effort to remedy it.
- Under the certificated-supervision route, the supervisor averages one contact hour a week with the child each month.
Official sources
- RCW 28A.200.010 Home-based instruction — duties of parents (RCW 28A.200.010)
Verified checked on 2026-10-18 - RCW 28A.225.010 Attendance mandatory — home-based instruction defined (RCW 28A.225.010)
Verified checked on 2026-10-18 - RCW 28A.195.010 Private schools — minimum school year (RCW 28A.195.010)
Verified checked on 2026-10-18
How Schoolkeeper helps
A twenty-second daily log, and then an export in the shape Washington asks for:
- An attendance record showing the days you taught, counted against 180.
- Hours by subject, totalled for the year against 1,000.
- A portfolio of work samples, photos and what they read, in date order.
Questions parents ask
What do I have to file to homeschool in Washington?
Signed declaration of intent (child's name and age; whether a certificated person supervises) in the OSPI format, to Superintendent of the district where you live (or a district that accepts a transfer). When: By September 15 each year, or within two weeks of the start of any public school quarter, trimester or semester.
What records do I keep for homeschooling in Washington?
Annual standardized test results or annual written assessment (part of the child's permanent records); Immunization records; Any other records you keep of instruction, forwarded if the child transfers.
How many hours or days does Washington ask for?
Washington asks for 1,000 hours a year; 180 days a year.
Does Washington require testing or an evaluation?
For the annual-assessment route: a certificated person currently working in the field of education. A test must be given by a qualified individual.
This is a plain-English summary with its sources, not legal advice. Tell us if this is wrong.