Declaration of Intent to Provide Home-Based Instruction
Parents/guardians of students who will receive home-based instruction in lieu of attendance or enrollment in a public school, approved private school, or an extension program of an approved private school, must file an annual declaration of intent to provide home-based instruction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our student is receiving home-based instruction (homeschool), can they participate in athletics, activities and receive ancillary services?
Yes. As long as you live in the boundaries of the Olympia School District, your student may enroll and receive services from the District.
What are Ancillary Services?
Ancillary service is defined to include counseling, testing, remedial instruction, communication disorder services, physical and occupational therapy, health services, psychological services, testing, etc.
OSPI Information on Home-Based Instruction
The Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has addition information on home-based instruction on its website, should you want to learn more.
RCW 28A.200.010
Home-based instruction—Duties of parents—Exemptions from state learning goals, state learning standards, and high school assessments.
Each parent whose child is receiving home-based instruction under RCW 28A.225.010(4) shall have the duty to:
-
(a) File annually a signed declaration of intent that he or she is planning to cause his or her child to receive home-based instruction. The statement shall include the name and age of the child, shall specify whether a certificated person will be supervising the instruction, and shall be written in a format prescribed by the superintendent of public instruction. Each parent shall file the statement by September 15th of the school year or within two weeks of the beginning of any public-school quarter, trimester, or semester with the superintendent of the public-school district within which the parent resides or the district that accepts the transfer, and the student shall be deemed a transfer student of the nonresident district. Parents may apply for transfer under RCW 28A.225.220;
-
(b) Ensure that test scores or annual academic progress assessments and immunization records, together with any other records that are kept relating to the instructional and educational activities provided, are forwarded to any other public or private school to which the child transfers. At the time of a transfer to a public school, the superintendent of the local school district in which the child enrolls may require a standardized achievement test to be administered and shall have the authority to determine the appropriate grade and course level placement of the child after consultation with parents and review of the child's records; and
-
(c) Ensure that a standardized achievement test approved by the state board of education is administered annually to the child by a qualified individual or that an annual assessment of the student's academic progress is written by a certificated person who is currently working in the field of education. The state board of education shall not require these children to meet the student learning goals, learn the state learning standards, or take the assessments under RCW 28A.655.070. The standardized test administered or the annual academic progress assessment written shall be made a part of the child's permanent records. If, as a result of the annual test or assessment, it is determined that the child is not making reasonable progress consistent with his or her age or stage of development, the parent shall make a good faith effort to remedy any deficiency.
Failure of a parent to comply with the duties in this section shall be deemed a failure of such parent's child to attend school without valid justification under RCW 28A.225.020. Parents who do comply with the duties set forth in this section shall be presumed to be providing home-based instruction as set forth in RCW 28A.225.010(4).
[ 2019 c 252 § 109; 2004 c 19 § 107; 1995 c 52 § 1; 1993 c 336 § 1103; 1990 c 33 § 178; 1985 c 441 § 2. Formerly RCW 28A.27.310.]
NOTES:
-
Intent—2019 c 252: See note following RCW 28A.655.250.
-
Part headings and captions not law—Severability—Effective date—2004 c 19: See notes following RCW 28A.655.061.
-
Findings—Intent—Part headings not law—1993 c 336: See notes following RCW 28A.150.210.
-
Findings—1993 c 336: See note following RCW 28A.150.210.
-
Severability—1985 c 441: See note following RCW 28A.225.010.
-
Part-time students—Defined—Enrollment in public schools authorized: RCW 28A.150.350.
-
Private schools—Extension programs for parents to teach children in their custody: RCW 28A.195.010.
RCW 28A.200.020
Home-based instruction—Certain decisions are the responsibility of parent unless otherwise specified.
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 ensure 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 evaluation of home-based instruction shall be the responsibility of the parent except for matters specifically referred to in this chapter.
[ 1990 c 33 § 179; 1985 c 441 § 3. Formerly RCW 28A.27.320.]
NOTES:
Contact Information
Should you have any additional questions please contact the Olympia School District at [email protected].