
Guide to Homeschooling in Washington
Washington State legalized home education in 1985, and since then, thousands of families have successfully homeschooled their children. Power Homeschool’s Guide to Homeschooling in Washington provides useful information for anyone thinking about homeschooling their children, including requirements, support groups, field trips, and how to get started.
Homeschool Laws and Requirements in Washington
Each state has different rules regarding a parent’s ability to homeschool their children and all the laws that they must follow.
Homeschool Groups and Support in Washington
Some of the best resources to help homeschool families be successful are homeschool associations, support groups, and co-ops.
How to Start Homeschooling in Washington
If you have decided that homeschool is a good fit for your family, you are probably wondering how to get started with the whole process.
Field Trips Available to Homeschoolers in Washington
The flexibility to go on more field trips is one of the many perks of homeschooling.
Find out what Washington has to offer!
Resources
Homeschool Laws and Requirements in
Washington
Home educators must also consider the legal paperwork, required subjects, annual assessments, and minimum days of instruction, among other items. For detailed information about the homeschool requirements in Washington, the Home School Defense Association and Washington State Board of Education both provide thorough guidelines. We also suggest consulting a homeschool association for legal advice if you have any questions or concerns.
RECORD KEEPING
Maintaining detailed records is an important part of homeschooling. In Washington, home educators must keep their students’ annual test scores or assessment reports, immunization records, and other records that relate to their child’s education.
Power Homeschool makes it easy for parents to keep thorough records of each child’s homeschool education. The online program allows homeschoolers to access report cards, track progress, create transcripts, and download coursework samples all through an app.
HOMESCHOOL STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENTS IN WASHINGTON
Every homeschool student must participate in an annual assessment. Standardized tests administered by a qualified person is one method to fulfill this requirement. The Washington Comprehensive Assessment Program is a new standardized test that uses short, computer-based tests. The test assesses reading, math, writing, and science. Homeschoolers can also take nationally normed standardized tests to fulfill the annual assessment requirement.
HOMESCHOOL GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS IN WASHINGTON
In Washington, it is up to the homeschool parents to set the qualifications for graduation and issue their own diploma to students. Many home educators will set requirements based on what the students want to do after high school, whether its attend college or explore career opportunities. It is a good idea to research the admissions eligibility requirements for the college that the student want to pursue.
Resources
Homeschool Support & Groups in Washington
Having a support system will greatly enhance the homeschool process, and Washington offers plenty of opportunities to meet other homeschoolers in your area.
Homeschool associations, support groups, and cooperatives all exist to enhance home education. Washington Homeschool Organization (WHO) is a statewide, membership organization that provide information and support to homeschool families. Membership benefits include free admission to a curriculum event, scholarships, graduation ceremony, and early registration to WHO-sponsored events.
In addition to joining WHO, homeschoolers in Washington have many homeschool support groups and cooperatives to choose from for additional support and ways to meet other families. Homeschool support groups either meet regularly in person or operate solely in an online forum, such as Facebook. Students can also meet other homeschoolers through these support groups. There are many homeschool support groups available in Washington, but a few examples of these homeschool groups include:
- Clark County Home Educators
- Seattle Homeschoolers
- Washington State Secular Homeschoolers
- Tacoma Area Homeschoolers
Homeschool cooperatives, or co-ops, are volunteer-based groups that give homeschoolers opportunities to learn in a group setting alongside peers. Some co-ops are general while other focus on a particular subject, such as STEM. These groups may also be secular or base instruction around religious beliefs. Most of these groups have Facebook pages, so you can find a co-op that fits your family’s needs with a simple Facebook search. WHO also offers a long list of homeschool support groups and co-ops in Washington separated by counties.
Check out our Power Homeschool Parent Support groups!
How to Start Homeschooling in Washington
If you are considering homeschool for your child, you are probably wondering how to begin home education. The first step is to do as much research as you can about the homeschool laws and requirements in Washington to ensure you can abide by all the guidelines. Washington has several steps to establishing your homeschool. Once you file the notice of intent to homeschool, you’ll need to create a homeschool curriculum or select a program.
Power Homeschool is an online homeschool curriculum that provides a variety of courses as well as tools and resources to help both parents and students. Jump-start your homeschool journey with Power Homeschool today!
Resources
Homeschool Field Trips in Washington
One of the many benefits of homeschooling is having more flexibility than a traditional classroom, and often this also means being able to go on more field trips. Washington has many options when it comes to fields trip, but the following are several examples to give you some ideas:
- Olympic Hot Springs in Port Angeles: Found within Olympic National Park, learning about these hot springs will be a great way to see geology lessons come to life.
- Space Needle in Seattle: This field trip is a must for all Washington homeschools. The landmark is over 600 feet tall and features a revolving glass floor and views of downtown and Mount Rainier.
- Pacific Science Center in Seattle: With a planetarium, laser dome, and plenty of interactive exhibits, this science center is sure to be fun for the whole family. Educational programs and special events are also available for more learning fun.
- Maryhill Museum of Art in Goldendale: Home to a range of rotating and permanent exhibitions, this museum is a perfect way for homeschoolers to explore their creative side and learn about world-renowned artists.
- Yakima Valley Museum in Yakima: Explore the region’s culture and history with various exhibits, hands-on activities, guided tours, and summer camps. Exhibits hold collections of artifacts, such as art, agricultural equipment, costumes, geology, and much, much more!
- Northwest Museum in Spokane: Homeschoolers can explore the art, history, and culture or the region through galleries and group tours. Day camps are also available for students of various ages.
- Washington State Capitol in Olympia: Learn about Washington’s government, history, and culture by touring the campus grounds, monuments, and Governor’s Mansion.
Other Articles You May Be Interested In:

5 Ways Homeschooling Can Help Children with Disabilities to Excel
Children with disabilities might have a hard time in traditional schools. Even with regulations in place to help these children, schools might fail to adequately meet the needs of each individual student; and that doesn’t even take into account social problems that...

5 Ways Power Homeschool Makes It Easy to Balance Work and Homeschooling
Working parents often express their challenges in balancing their careers and homeschooling their children. This is easy to understand as a full-time job can take a parent out of the house for more than eight hours a day. However, homeschooling doesn’t have to cause...

5 Reasons Why Homeschooling is Better for Some Children
Homeschooling is becoming a popular alternative to traditional schooling. For some families, homeschooling is by far the best way for children to get an education. If you are on the fence about homeschooling your children, we know that the decision can weigh heavily...

Why Homeschooling Is on The Rise
Since the 1980s, there has been a significant increase in families transitioning from traditional public or private schools to homeschooling. You may be wondering the reason for this trend, but the answer is simple – it works! Homeschooling has changed drastically...