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).
  • Annual evaluator: Not required.
  • Quarterly reports: Not required.

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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Source: HSLDA — Washington · last verified 2026-08-08 · Always verify with your state homeschool association before relying on this.