A unique community of homeschoolers is growing in Washington state. More and more families are taking the plunge and pulling their special needs children out of school or keeping them home in the first place. Why the increasing numbers? The reasons are as many and varied as the kids themselves. The idea of taking challenged students out of school and helping them learn at home is not a new one. but seems more do-able, less daunting today, thanks to new support groups, resources and information. ...

Since the early to mid 1990s the Washington Home Education Network (WHEN)has been for those interested in homeschooling in Washington state, particularly legislative news and discussion. WHEN welcomes Home-based Instruction as well as Parent Partnered or other public school families. There is a wealth of resources families can share and benefit from as well as legislation and policies related to both choices. WHEN supports the laws which distinguishes between these programs and Home-based In...

This group is a networking resource for homeschoolers in the Kitsap County, WA area who are using the Charlotte Mason method.

Established in 1899 Mount Rainier National Park comprises 235,625 acres, with 97% designated Wilderness. The Park includes Mount Rainier (14,410'), an active volcano encased in over 35 square miles of snow and ice, and outstanding examples of old growth forests and subalpine meadows. It was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1997 as a showcase for the "NPS Rustic" style architecture of the 1920s and 1930s. Whether hiking on its flanks, climbing its summit, snowshoeing or cross-c...

Clickable map of legislative districts in the state of Washington.

A look at the laws and issues governing public alternative education programs in the state of Washington.

Long before North Cascades National Park Service Complex was established in 1968, this area was a home. It was the home to many Native American tribes and a trade gateway between the Plateau tribes to the east and the Coast Salish tribes to the west. Native Americans have been in these mountains for over 8,000 years. More recent settlers came in the nineteenth century to establish homesteads in places like the Stehekin Valley, or to mine elusive minerals – like gold, or to trap furbearing animal...

WNLA promotes networking and political awareness for home-educators throughout Washington. Questions, political discussion, and all issues relevant to the home-education from a natural learning perspective are main topics of this list.

This group is primarily a homeschooling group for swing-shift/graveyard parents and children both sides of the Columbia River who home educate in the Lower Columbia Area. They welcome all homeschoolers for homeschooling chat and week discussions. This group is made up of eclectic and relaxed homeschoolers.

Email list for homeschooling families of Whatcom County, State of Washington, to exchange ideas, answer questions, share resources and stay informed.

Sample cover letter to school districts.

Learn about the animal world at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. Highlights include an African Village and Savanna, Discovery Barn, Bug World, and Tropical Rain Forest. Offers educational programs and special exhibits.

The 38 sites of Nez Perce National Historical Park are scattered across the states of Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Montana and have been designated to commemorate the stories and history of the Nimiipuu and their interaction with explorers, fur traders, missionaries, soldiers, settlers, gold miners, and farmers who moved through or into the area.

This is an eclectic group that welcomes all homeschoolers. Offers support and activities for homeschoolers in the Granite Falls area of Washington.

Here the beautiful Stehekin Valley, with a portion of fjordlike Lake Chelan, adjoins North Cascades National Park. Lake Chelan National Recreation Area (62,000 acres, 24,800 hectares) rests in a glacially carved trough in the Cascades Range. Lake Chelan is one of the nation's deepest, reaching a depth of 1,500 feet (450 meters). It offers boating, fishing, and lakeshore camping. The average width is less than two miles (3.2 kilometers), but Lake Chelan extends 50 miles (83 kilometers) into the C...

Not Back to School Camp is a non-denominational, non-religious homeschool camp. The camp offers workshops, spontaneous events, and special evening gatherings, bringing together campers who are excited about life and willing to be themselves and to reach out and connect with the others.