If you intend to provide your child or children home-based instruction in lieu of attendance or enrollment in a public school, an approved private school, or an extension program of an approved private school, you must file an annual declaration of intent.

Parents may choose to provide home-based instruction for part of the day and have their child attend public school for the remainder of the day. Home-based instruction shall consist 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.

Such instruction shall be equivalent to the total annual program hours per grade level as established for public schools. All decisions relating to philosophy or doctrine, selection of books, teaching materials and curriculum, and methods, timing, place, and provision for the evaluation of home-based instruction shall be the responsibility of the parent.

In Washington State, parents who choose to homeschool their child(ren) must file a Declaration of Intent to Provide Home-Based Instruction form annually with their residential school district by September 15 or within two weeks of the beginning of the school quarter, trimester, or semester.

The requirements to attend either public or private school, or homeschool, affect any child 8 years of age and under 18 years of age, and any child who has been previously enrolled in any public school.

Parents are required to meet at least one of the qualifications below:

• Parent is supervised by a current certificated WA State teacher, or

• Parent has earned at least 45 college-level credits, or

• Parent has completed a qualifying course in home-based instruction.

Complete the fillable Declaration of Intent to Provide Home-Based Instruction form electronically and email to ChoiceTransfers@kent.k12.wa.us.

1. Click the blue underlined text to open the form in Adobe Acrobat and save it to your device. If you don’t have it already, download Adobe Acrobat for free online.

2. Fill in the form electronically, sign using the digital signature option and save the completed document to your device.

3. Email your completed form as an attachment to ChoiceTransfers@kent.k12.wa.us.

Qualifying home-based students in grades 11-12 who do not wish to seek a Kent School District (KSD) diploma may take classes at a local community college through the Running Start program.

Students can take classes at any community college in the state of Washington as long as they:

• Have transportation to the college,

• Earn the minimum required score on the college’s qualifying test, and

• Complete the college’s specific orientation process.

If you are not a home-based student and/or wish to seek a Kent School District diploma, please contact your boundary high school for more information.

Once enrolled, students are required to complete a new Running Start Enrollment Verification Form from the community college before registering for classes each quarter.

All home-based running start students are required to complete a new Enrollment Verification Form from the community college before registering for classes each quarter.

1. Obtain a Running Start Enrollment Verification form from the college.

2. Email the completed form to HomebasedRunningStart@kent.k12.wa.us. Include the student’s name and boundary KSD high school in the body of the email.

3. Allow two business days for KSD to email the signed form back to you.

4. Submit the signed form and additional required paperwork to the college. Please refer to the college for their process.