BRIEF SUMMARY

1. Parents qualify to teach their own children one of several ways:
A. Supervised by a certificated teacher with contact a minimum of one hour per week
B. The parent has earned 45 quarter college credits or its equivalent.
C. Parent has taken a course in home-based instruction provided by a post-secondary institution or vocational/technical school.
D. Parent is deemed qualified by the superintendent of the district they live in.

2. Parents must file a declaration of intent annually for all children between the ages of 8 and 18.
It is to be filed with the superintendent of the school district in which the students reside by September 15 or within two weeks of the beginning of any quarter, trimester, or semester. Contact your local school district's superintendent's office for their letter of intent form.
The state law says the declaration document you complete must:
A. Include the child's name and age (NOT birth date).
B. State if a certificated teacher will be supervising the work.
C. Use the format prescribed by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

3. There are 11 subjects you are required to teach your children, beginning at age 8:
Reading, Mathematics, Science, Writing, Health, Occupational Education, Language, Social Studies, Appreciation of music and art, Spelling, History.

4. Home school instruction shall be for the number of hours established for approved private schools.
Home-based instruction is recognized by the legislature as being less structured and more experiential than classroom instruction. Hours outside the "normal" school day may be included in the totals given below.

Grades 1-3 900 hours/year or 180 days at 5 hours per day
Grades 4-8 990 hours/year or 180 days at 5.5 hours per day
Grades 9-12 4320 hours over the four-year period in sufficient units for meeting the minimum graduation requirements.* (Approximately 1080 hrs./yr or 180 - 6 hour days)

5. Annually ensure that a student's educational progress is evaluated by:
A. Standardized achievement test approved by the State Board of Education (list is in the state laws booklet), administered by a qualified individual, OR
B. Non-test assessment is to be written by a certificated person currently working in the field of education.

Washington State Requirements for Public and Private High School Graduation may be found at http://www.sbe.wa.gov/gradreq/. We offer this link for comparison purposes.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING STATE LAWS

Where do I get a copy of the laws?
Where do I get and file Declaration of Intent forms?
Where do I get a copy of the Opt Out Notice?
Please tell me more about Parent Qualifying Courses?
What about Testing or Non-Test Assessment of Homeschool Students?

Where do I get a copy of the laws?
The OFFICIAL publication, "Washington State's Laws Regulating Home-Based Instruction" (also referred to as "the pink book") is available from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). You can view it on-line, or open and print the PDF from this link. Every homeschooling family should keep a current, official copy of the law and know what it says.

To supplement this information, visit Christian Homeschool Network of Washington (CHN). CHN is the legislative liaison to Christian Heritage Home Educators of Washington and the state liaison to the Home School Legal Defense Association. CNN provides information on laws and legislation affecting homeschooling freedoms http://www.chnow.org/index.html

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Where do I get and file Declaration of Intent forms?
If you intend to homeschool a child who is between the ages of eight and 18, you will need to visit your local school district office and complete a Declaration of Intent form. By completing the declaration you are informing the school district that your child(ren) will be educated at home. This protects you from being in violation of the Compulsory Attendance Law and a potential fine.

If you haven't filed your declaration of intent with the school district this year, do it now. THEY ARE DUE ANNUALLY BY SEPT. 15, but are accepted at any time.

State homeschooling laws require that the parent list the name and age (NOT birth date) of the child(ren). If you are having a certificated teacher supervise their work, indicate this on the form. Write your address, and then sign the form.

State law also does NOT require you to indicate how you are qualified to teach your children.

Remember to make a copy of the declaration for your files before turning it in to the school district. Or, if you fill out the form on site, request a copy.

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Where do I get a copy of the Opt Out Notice? Click here
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) gives guidelines under which school districts must operate concerning the release of personal student information contained in the Declaration of Intent form. Submitting this notice "opts your family out" of any directories or releases of personal information by the school district.

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Please tell me more about Parent Qualifying Courses?
To comply with Washington State Laws Regarding Home-Based Instruction, the instruction of children ages 8-18 shall be home-based if it is:

"Provided by a parent who is instructing his or her child only and who has either earned forty-five college level quarter credits or its equivalent in semester hours or has completed a course in home-based instruction at a post-secondary institution or a vocational-technical institute..." [RCW28A.225.010(4)(b)]

The following Parent Qualifying courses are offered in the Clark County and Southwest Washington area:

Homeschool Oasis
Barbara Shelton
182 N Col. H. Rd.
Longview, 98632
beshelton@aol.com
www.homeschooloasis.com

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Multnomah Bible College
Carrie Patterson
P.O. Box 65042
Vancouver, WA
98665
salmoncrlc@juno.com

OPTions for Parent Teachers
Paula Harper Christensen
homeschooloptions@hotmail.com

Smoothing the Way
Becky Develle
9400 NE 50 AV
Vancouver, 98665
Grace Baptist Church
rubies31@comcast.net
www.swahninfo.net

Testing or Non-Test Assessment of Homeschool Students:
Parents of children between the ages of eight and 18 receiving home-based instruction must "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.200.010 (3)] The list of approved tests is in the Washington Home-Based Instruction Laws.

"The standardized test administered or the annual academic progress assessment written shall be made a part of the child's permanent records." [RCW 28A.200.010 (3)]

It is the responsibility of the parent to sign up, have children tested and keep those records on file. The test results do not need to be turned in to school districts or officials. If the child ever transfers to a public or private school, copies of the records are to be forwarded to the institution. [RCW 28A.200.010(2)]

Group and Individual testing is offered locally in the fall and spring by several qualified individuals. The CCHE Express Newsletter and local support groups will have more information on details and dates in the spring.

According to the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), a homeschool parent in Washington state can test his/her own child so long as he/she adheres to certain requirements set forth by a test publisher or company. Through Family Learning Organization (FLO), a homeschool parent may administer the California Achievement Test, Metropolitan Achievement Test. Through FLO, tests are administered by the parent (who serves as the proctor), then scored and reviewed by a Certified Teacher.

For parents who wish to administer the Stanford Achievement Series Test (and/or OLSAT) or the Iowa Achievement Series Test (and/or CogAT), the parent must have a four-year college degree and go through a qualification process. Parents may qualify through Bob Jones University Press Testing and Evaluation Service (800) 845-5731.

Non-test assessments are an alternative to standardized achievement tests. They are a preferred method of evaluation for students who do not test well or have special needs.

Professional non-test assessments are conducted and written by a person who is currently working in the field of education. These are scheduled on an individual basis with each family and take 1-1 ½ hours. Watch the CCHE Express Newsletter in the spring for more information.

Homeschool parents may also administer non-test assessments themselves through Family Learning Organization (FLO). Through FLO, either a "free-style" or "check-list style" non-assessment test is completed by the parent (who serves as the proctor), then scored and reviewed by a Certified Teacher.

It is the responsibility of the parent(s) to help their children improve: "If, as a result of the annual test or assessment, it is determined that the child is not making reasonable progress consistent with his or her age or stage of development, the parent shall make a good faith effort to remedy any deficiency." [RCW 28A.200.010(3)]

For a listing of all testing options available, please click here to visit www.swahninfo.net. On the navigation menu at the top, click "Booklet", and choose "Read Online". A list of testing options are on pages 26-31. Note: To view the Homeschool Information Booklet "two-up", you must actually first save the booklet to your own hard drive. Then start Adobe Reader, open the PDF you just saved, and select from the menu "View" "Two-up".

By the way, if you don't have a copy of the "Clark County Homeschool Information" booklet, please either request one at the website above, or contact the front desk at one of the Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries. This booklet is free and is distributed to the libraries from time to time.

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