Legal/Homeschool Laws
Laws that regulate home education vary from state to state. It is important to understand the legal requirements in your state and to be aware of legislative and other legal issues that affect homeschoolers in your community. We've compiled resources that will help you become informed. Although homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, and the vast majority of homeschoolers face no problems, you may find that you need legal assistance at some point in your homeschooling career. We've compiled a list of resources to help you find the support you need. And if you'd like to become more involved in working towards homeschooling freedoms, we discuss some of the issues facing homeschoolers that we hope you find compelling.
State Laws
Read the laws regulating home education in Washington and browse through the case law and legal opinions relating to those laws, along with government publications relating to homeschooling and summaries of the laws.
Forms
Which forms do you need to fill out? Where can you get them? Here is a list of useful forms for homeschooling in Washington.
Legal Support
If you need legal information or have run into a legal situation regarding your decision to homeschool, these resources will be helpful.
Lobbying Groups
A listing of local and national lobbying groups and information on how you can become involved in the political process to ensure the freedom to homeschool is protected.
Attorneys
When searching for an attorney, it is helpful to know whether he or she has experience working with homeschoolers and is interested in protecting the right to homeschool.
Legal Issues
Is homeschooling legal? Which laws pertain to homeschoolers and which don't? How do homeschoolers protect their rights to freely educate their children and to preserve their privacy?
Government Resources
A listing of local and state government resources, including your state's Department of Education, school districts, and Senate and House of Representative information.
What's Popular
Washington Home School Laws from HSLDA
The Home School Legal Defense Association provides a brief summary of the homeschooling laws in Washington. Includes a link to a legal analysis of laws relating to homeschooling in Washington.
Homeschooling and the WASL
Are my homeschooled kids required to take the WASL? This article answers all your questions regarding testing and homeschooling in the state of Washington.
Home-Based Instruction Regulations
Washington State's Laws Regulating Home-Based Instruction "Pink Book" is provided by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. It is their interpretation of the laws governing home-based instruction.
Testing and Compliance
Annual testing is never overlooked in conversations about the homeschool law, and is often the cause of heated discussion. Because testing is such a contentious issue, this article closely examines the law.
Part-Time Enrollment
A look at the section of the statutes that regulate home education dealing with part-time enrollment of homeschooled children.
RCW 28A.200.020 Home-based instruction -- Certain decisions responsibility of parent
The state hereby recognizes that parents who are causing their children to receive home-based instruction under RCW 28A.225.010(4) shall be subject only to those minimum state laws and regulations which are necessary to insure that a sufficient basic educational opportunity is provided to the children receiving such instruction. Therefore, all decisions relating to philosophy or doctrine, selection of books, teaching materials and curriculum, and methods, timing, and place in the provision or ev...
Record Keeping
Record keeping is often overlooked in conversations about the homeschool law because it is an easily met requirement, and seems to have no great impact. And yet, the very fact that we compile and maintain our children's records, and store them in our homes, is one of the strongest indicators of how truly independent homeschooling is from public or private education in Washington State.
Homeschool Laws
A complete summary of the home-based instruction law in Washington.
Declaration of Intent to Provide Home-Based Instruction
Sample Declaration of Intent form.
Washington State Legislature
This is the homepage of the Washington State Legislature. Find your legislator, look up bill information, research laws, and more.
Statewide Map of Legislative Districts
Clickable map of legislative districts in the state of Washington.
District Information
Enter your street address below to determine in which congressional and legislative districts you live.
Washington Natural Learning Association (WNLA)
Washington Natural Learning Association works to ensure the right to home-educate our children without cumbersome regulation. They also help families with questions and problems that may occur when home-educating.
Washington Homeschool Organization (WHO)
The Washington Homeschool Organization (WHO) is the state organization for homeschoolers, families operating under the Home-Based Instruction Law. Their mission is to serve the diverse interests of homeschoolers in Washington State. WHO is nonpartisan, nonsectarian and non discriminating in its views of homeschooling and participation in its activities. Its purpose is to disseminate information about homeschooling to those interested, and network homeschooling families with people and resources....
Mandatory Attendance
The mandatory attendance laws are where homeschooling, or home-based instruction, is designated as an educational choice and criteria are set.
Looking for Another State?
Featured Resources
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We get commissions for purchases made through links on this site.
Smart Mouth
Ages: 8 years and up; For 2 or more playersSmart Mouth is a quick-thinking shout-it-out hilarious word game that helps build vocabulary skills. It includes variations of the rules for category play and for younger players. Players slide the Letter Ge...
So You're Thinking About Homeschooling: Fifteen Families Show How You Can Do It
Confused and intimidated by the complexities of homeschooling, many sincere parents never get past the "thinking about it" stage. Now Lisa Whelchel - herself a homeschooling mother of three - introduces fifteen real families and shows how they overc...
Reading Made Easy
Reading Made Easy is a phonics-based program, featuring 108 easy lessons, designed to be taught in less than 30 minutes per day. It is fully scripted and has original Christian content and stories. Includes hands-on writing and drawing activities. Re...
Learning Language Arts Through Literature
Learning Language Arts Through Literature is a fully integrated language arts program that teaches grammar, reading, spelling, vocabulary, writing mechanics, creative writing, thinking skills and more.
Not So Fast: Parenting Your Teen Through the Dangers of Driving
Most driving literature for parents focuses on how to teach a teen to drive, without explaining why teen driving is so dangerous in the first place or giving parents a plan to preempt the hazards teens face. By contrast, Not So Fast empowers and guid...