Policy No. 3114

Students

PART-TIME, HOME-BASED, (HOME-SCHOOLED) OR OFF-CAMPUS STUDENTS

The board shall permit the enrollment of and provide ancillary services for part-time students, provided that such students are otherwise eligible for full-time enrollment in the school district and such courses or services are not available in the student's private school or an approved extension thereof.  Part-time also includes:  any student, not enrolled in a private school, who is receiving home-based instruction which includes taking courses at or receiving ancillary services from the district or both, or any student involved in any work training program and taking courses in any public school, whose work training program is approved by the board.

Home-based (home-schooled) instruction consists of planned and supervised instructional and related educational activities, including the basic skills of occupational education, science, mathematics, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and the development of an appreciation of art and music, provided such instruction is equivalent to the total annual program hours per grade level as established for public schools.

Home-based instruction may be provided by a parent who is instructing his/her child and who:

a. Is supervised by a certificated teacher a minimum of four (4) hours for each four-week period; or

b. Has either earned forty-five (45) college level quarter credit hours or its equivalent in semester hours or has completed a course in home-based instruction at a postsecondary institution or a vocational-technical institute; or

c. Is deemed sufficiently qualified to provide home-based instruction by the superintendent of the local school district in which the child resides.

Each parent whose child is receiving home-based instruction shall:

a. File a declaration of intent with the superintendent by September 15, or within two (2) weeks of the beginning of any quarter, trimester, or semester.  Parents may file their declaration of intent with the school district in which they reside or in a school district that has accepted their student pursuant to RCW 28A.225.225, Choice.

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.

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 standardized test results or the annual academic progress assessment report shall be made a part of the child's permanent records.

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 as set forth in the signed declaration of intent.  Failure of a parent to comply with the standards as specified in this policy shall constitute a violation of the compulsory attendance law.

The school district will provide no supplies, instructional materials, or testing materials for home-based instructional programs.

Legal References:

Initially Adopted: May 15, 1986

Adopted: February 8, 2010