|
by Christina Yeager The homeschooling laws for Washington are a bit more strict. Every state has the same basic set of laws for homeschooling. Ensuring the child’s safety, some sort of parent certification, etc. these are laws that you’ll find in pretty much every state. Washington has these laws only they are a little more enforced and require more effort to pursue homeschooling. Let’s jump right into the laws and regulations for Washington starting with the compulsory school attendance age.  Each state is the U.S. has a very specific set of regulations for homeschooling. If you are thinking about teaching your child at home, you'll need to know the ins and outs of what needs to be done beforehand and during. In this series, Homeschooling Regulations by State, we'll explore information to help with the decision, what to do to get started and what to do correctly to continue. The regulations, laws and suggestions in this post may not reflect the needs for your particular situation. Not all apply to each individual family. To learn more about the laws and regulations in this state on homeschooling, click the link at the end of the post! This will direct you to the states’ Board of Education or government education site. Compulsory School Age The compulsory school attendance age is right years old or the age when a child is enrolled in a public school. This just means that if your child is older than eight and has been enrolled in public school, it is okay to withdraw them and start homeschool as long as you fill out the NOI. If your child is under eight and is enrolled in public school then you must formally withdraw them from the school, however, Washington doesn’t file a declaration of intent for children under the age of eight. Compliance Some of the main parent qualifications include forty five quarter units of college level credit. Parents must also attend a parent qualifying course and meet with a certified teacher that will meet with the child every week for about an hour (a progress check). As a parent you must also need to get qualified by the superintendent of the local school district. This is to make sure that all parents are qualified and able to homeschool their children. View the Washington State's Laws Regulating Home-Based Instruction manual known as the "Pink Book." Necessary Paperwork The required paperwork is pretty straightforward. You need a notice of intent (NOI) that has to be filed every year you continue to homeschool your child. The form is given to the superintendent of the school district you live in. Curriculum Eleven required subjects should be on every child’s curriculum list:
Testing There is one major assessment that your child has to take every year. This is the Standardized Achievement Test. The test is designed to get a progress report on your child’s academic success. For more detailed information on enrolling and instructing your child in the State of Washington, visit the Office of Superintendent website page. Are you a homeschooler (new or veteran) seeking to share insight? Read our guidelines and then reach out introducing yourself to obtain blogging credentials! And if you're a homeschool parent, be sure to follow the Homeschooling Heroes page on Facebook for tons of resources and insight, and join the Unschool Homeschool group to expand your horizons as to what homeschooling is/can be. And finally, if you're looking for activities to join, we have a group with New Orleans-based activities, which will be expanding to an area near you - so join our group! And be excited about that, because we offer tons of exceptional educational and extracurricular activities for homeschoolers and parents, and can't wait to include you. |
|
|