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If you're thinking about teaching your child at home, this page explains how it works in Washington, what you'll be responsible for, and what stays open to your family at Monte schools. It's your decision. We'd just like you to make it with the whole picture.
Washington law lets a home-schooled student take any class or use any service our schools offer full-time students, tuition-free. Band, a science lab, counseling, speech therapy, a sport. You keep teaching at home and your child keeps a foot in the building. Ten Monte families did exactly that this year.
Before you file, you're welcome to talk with your child's principal or a counselor. Not to change your mind. To make sure you know every option, including the ones we don't advertise well. Call your school office or the District Office and ask to talk about home-based instruction.
Bullying, anxiety, the wrong pace, a health need, a schedule that doesn't fit. Each of those has a specific answer at Monte, and some can be fixed this week. The list is just below. The decision is still yours either way.
Families tell us the reason more often than we ask. If one of these is yours, here is exactly what we can do about it.
Home-based instruction has been legal in Washington since 1985. The state sets a short list of duties for parents and leaves everything else, what you teach, how, and when, up to you. Here is the list, with the law each one comes from.
A one-page form with each child's name and age, and whether a Washington-certificated teacher will supervise. It goes to the superintendent of the district where you live. File it by September 15, or within two weeks of the start of any public-school quarter, trimester, or semester. It covers children ages 8 through 17; under 8, no declaration is needed. RCW 28A.200.010(1)(a) (opens in a new tab)
Occupational education, science, mathematics, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and an appreciation of art and music. How you teach them, with what, and when, is up to you. RCW 28A.225.010(4) (opens in a new tab)
The law ties home-based instruction to the hours expected of private schools: an average of 1,000 hours a year in grades 1 through 12, and 450 in kindergarten. It also says home instruction is “less structured and more experiential” and that these rules are to be read generously. RCW 28A.225.010(4), (5) (opens in a new tab)
You have 45 college quarter credits (or the semester equivalent); or you've completed a course in home-based instruction at a college or vocational-technical institute; or a Washington-certificated teacher supervises your instruction, averaging about one contact hour a week; or the superintendent decides you are sufficiently qualified. RCW 28A.225.010(4)(a)–(c) (opens in a new tab)
Either a standardized test approved by the State Board of Education, given by a qualified person, or a written assessment of your child's progress by a certificated teacher who currently works in education. You keep the result in your child's records. If it shows your child isn't making reasonable progress, the law asks you to make a good-faith effort to fix that. RCW 28A.200.010(1)(c) (opens in a new tab) · approved tests (opens in a new tab)
Keep test scores or assessments, immunization records, and whatever else you track. If your child later enrolls in any public or private school, those records go with them. RCW 28A.200.010(1)(b) (opens in a new tab)
Your philosophy, your books and materials, your curriculum, your methods, and the timing and place of instruction are your decisions. We don't approve lesson plans, we don't visit, and we can't ask for anything the declaration doesn't already include. RCW 28A.200.020 (opens in a new tab)
File it by September 15, or within two weeks of the start of any public-school quarter, trimester, or semester if you begin mid-year. One form covers all of your children ages 8 through 17. There is no fee, and nothing else is required. Not filing, or not meeting the duties above, is treated by law as unexcused absence, so file on time and call us if you're unsure about anything.
Fill in the PDF, sign it, and email it to kkersker@monteschools.org. A photo of the signed page is fine.
District Office, 502 E. Spruce Avenue, Montesano, WA 98563. Ask for Krista Kersker.
We confirm we received it, and that's it. Keep your copy with your child's records. You'll only hear from us again if you ask us something.
The form follows the format set by the state superintendent (OSPI Form A-2). Prefer OSPI's own version? It works just as well: OSPI declaration of intent (opens in a new tab).
Filing a declaration doesn't close the door. A resident home-schooled student is entitled to any class and any service we offer full-time students, at the same level and quality. Here is the menu, and how to ask.
Any class with space that we offer full-time students, tuition-free: band, a lab science, a language, shop, art, PE. Ask the school office; OSPI's part-time request form is the paperwork.
The law calls these ancillary services: counseling, psychological services, speech and hearing therapy, health services, tutoring and remedial help, and school activities. Same level and quality as full-time students. You can also ask for the state assessment each spring.
Home-schooled students play for the public school where they live. A home-school contract is kept on file at the principal's office each year, and the same eligibility, behavior, and paperwork rules apply as for every other athlete. Athletics forms
Home-schooled juniors and seniors can take Grays Harbor College classes tuition-free through Running Start. You enroll through MJSHS counseling for the paperwork only; your student doesn't have to attend classes at MJSHS. Running Start at MJSHS
If you suspect a disability, you can ask for an evaluation at no cost at any time. If your child qualifies, they can receive IEP services part-time while you keep teaching at home. How to ask
Part-time students can usually ride at regular stops and times on the days they attend. Ask Transportation once your child's schedule is set. Transportation
The district is funded for the hours a part-time student attends, so this costs your family nothing and costs the school nothing. Full detail is in Board Policy 3114 and the Washington Homeschool Organization's part-time guide (opens in a new tab).
No Washington law lets a district issue a diploma to a home-schooled student. Parents may issue their own; colleges and employers decide for themselves whether to accept it. Students who re-enroll and meet graduation requirements earn a Monte diploma.
Home-schooled students can take the high-school equivalency test (GED) from age 16. RCW 28A.305.190 (opens in a new tab)
Two years of Running Start can finish an associate degree at Grays Harbor College, which many four-year schools accept in place of a diploma.
The State Board publishes the approved test list. For a written assessment, the Washington Homeschool Organization keeps a directory of certificated evaluators. Approved tests (opens in a new tab) · WHO (opens in a new tab)
Families come back for all kinds of reasons: a new job, a child who wants a team, a diploma. You can re-enroll any time, including mid-year. Bring your test results or annual assessments and any records you kept. We decide placement together after looking at them; a short placement test is sometimes part of that. High-school credit for work done at home is reviewed by MJSHS counseling under the district's credit policy. We won't ask why you left. RCW 28A.200.010(1)(b) (opens in a new tab)
Enroll at Montesano →Yes. The declaration covers one school year. File again each fall by September 15, or within two weeks of the start of a quarter, trimester, or semester if you begin mid-year.
The law applies from age 8. Most families file at the start of the school year in which their child turns 8; others file around the birthday. Either way, file no later than two weeks into the next quarter, trimester, or semester after the birthday.
No declaration is needed under 8. Just let the school office know you're withdrawing so we don't mark absences.
No. Philosophy, materials, curriculum, methods, timing, and place are your decisions by law. We don't review lesson plans or make home visits. RCW 28A.200.020 (opens in a new tab)
No. Filing is free, and so is part-time enrollment for residents.
Yes. Home-schooled students play for the public school where they live, under WIAA rules, with a home-school contract on file at the principal's office each year. Clubs and activities count as ancillary services under the part-time enrollment law.
The law treats it as your child not attending school without a valid reason, the same as truancy. Filing on time avoids that entirely, and we'll help you if you're not sure what to do. RCW 28A.200.010(2) (opens in a new tab)
If you move into a different district, file with that district's superintendent. If you move within Montesano's boundary, just send us your new address.
Only to confirm we received your declaration, or to answer a question you ask. State law bars districts from sending unsolicited program information to families who file, and we follow it.
Declarations, part-time requests, and any question about home-based instruction:
kkersker@monteschools.org
(360) 249-3942 (District Office). Call before you file if you'd like to talk it through. Call after if you have a question. Either is fine.