Anchor Homeschooling in Washington
medium regulation
What Washington requires
- Notice to authorities: Yes. Annual Declaration of Intent to Provide Home-Based Instruction filed with local superintendent (or OSPI) by September 15, or within 2 weeks of starting a public school quarter/trimester/semester. 180 days OR average 1,000 hours per year of instruction.
- Instructional days: 180 per year
- Instructional hours: 1000 per year
- Portfolio: Required as one option (or testing).
- Standardized testing: One option — you may test or submit a portfolio.
- Annual evaluator: Not required.
- Quarterly reports: Not required.
- Filing deadline: September 15
- Accepted assessments: nationally normed test, certified teacher evaluation
How to start homeschooling in Washington
- File your notice with the state. File annual Declaration of Intent with your local school district superintendent by September 15 (or within 2 weeks of starting a public school term). Complete a standardized test or certified-teacher evaluation each year; results stay in your records. File online with the state →
- Plan your school year. Washington expects 180 instructional days and 1000 hours — set your calendar before you start so the count takes care of itself.
- Put assessment on the calendar. Each year you'll submit either standardized test results or a portfolio of work — decide which at the start of the year so you collect the right evidence as you go.
- Keep records from your first day. Attendance, samples of work, and any test or evaluation results — every requirement above is answered from these three, and they're painless to keep daily and miserable to reconstruct in May.
How Anchor helps
Anchor logs every day automatically when you make an activity entry. It builds the portfolio your state expects, generates the attendance PDF, and reminds you about evaluations before they're due.
Common questions about homeschooling in Washington
Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in Washington?
Yes. Washington requires notice to the authorities before you begin home education. Annual Declaration of Intent to Provide Home-Based Instruction filed with local superintendent (or OSPI) by September 15, or within 2 weeks of starting a public school quarter/trimester/semester. 180 days OR average 1,000 hours per year of instruction.
How many days or hours of school does Washington require?
Washington requires 180 instructional days and 1000 hours per year. Anchor counts each day for you as you log activities, and shows how many you have left.
Does Washington require a portfolio or standardized testing?
Washington requires either a portfolio or standardized testing — you choose which to submit.
Does Washington require an annual evaluation?
No. Washington does not require an annual evaluator review.
What records should I keep to homeschool in Washington?
Keep attendance for every school day, samples of your student's work, and any test or evaluation results Washington asks for. Homeschool Anchor builds all three from your daily logs and turns this state's rules into dated checkpoints, so nothing is reconstructed at the deadline.
Stay compliant without the paperwork
Free for 1 student. $8/month for the full family with PDF exports, photo activity logging, and AI-assisted summaries.
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Sources: HSLDA — Washington · Washington Department of Education · last verified 2026-08-08 · Always verify with your state homeschool association before relying on this.