Homeschool benefits: Washoe County School District
Washoe County School District (WCSD) lets a homeschooled student take up to three classes a semester at a district school with the principal's permission, and join one extracurricular activity per sport season at the zoned school. Turn in the participation form to the school by the fifth day of the semester.
Who qualifies
Has filed a Notice of Intent
You must show proof of homeschooling when your student enrolls in a WCSD class, which means a completed Notice of Intent to Homeschool. It is a one-time filing for children ages 6-18.
Meets the course prerequisites
Your student must meet the same prerequisites as any other student and show proof of them when asking to join.
Gets a seat and approval
The principal must give permission, and a class is open only if it is under its maximum size and does not take a seat a full-time WCSD student may need.
Is not a North Star student
A full-time North Star student is not a homeschool student under this procedure, and homeschool students cannot enroll part time in North Star classes.
What your student can take
The limits come from WCSD Administrative Procedure 6223 on home school students in district classes and programs.
- District classes per semester
- 3
- Academy of Arts, Careers and Technology (AACT) course
- Counts as 3 classes
- Extracurricular activities per sport season
- 1, at the zoned school
- Deadline to request a class
- Day 5 of the semester
- Principal's decision
- By day 11
- Student activity fee
- Required for sports
The procedure does not give the activity fee amount, so ask the school, and plan on driving your student, since parents provide all transportation.
How to join a class or sport
- Before the semester
File and fill out the forms
File the Notice of Intent to Homeschool if you have not, then complete the Notice of Intent of a Homeschooled Child to Participate in Programs and Activities. Bring a birth certificate or other proof of your child's identity.
- By day 5 of the semester
Request the class or sport
Give the form to the school with a written request naming the class or sport. Later requests usually roll to the next semester.
- By day 11
Hear back
The principal or a designee tells you and your student whether the request is accepted.
- Once enrolled
Follow school rules
Your student carries a school-issued ID card, comes to campus only for the class or activity, and follows attendance, grading, and book deposit rules.
- Each year
Submit a new participation form
The participation notice is required for each year your student takes part.
What it includes
Included
- Academic courses
- Band, choir, orchestra, and ROTC
- SAT, ACT, and PSAT exams offered at district schools
Not included
- Part-time North Star classes
- Dances, proms, and lunchtime or leadership activities without a guest pass
- Transportation
- Instruments for band or orchestra
- Honor band, orchestra, or choir without public school qualification
Good to know
Start with your zoned school
Classes can be at any WCSD school, but sports and other extracurriculars are at your zoned school only. The district FAQ says to submit the participation form there.
Who to contact about homeschool enrollment
The homeschool filing office handles Notices of Intent and participation forms, and the school principal decides each class request.
WCSDhomeschool@washoeschools.net 775-353-6990 Homeschool filing page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Nevada
You must file a notice of intent and an educational plan with the resident district superintendent before starting, or within 10 days of formal public-school withdrawal or 30 days of establishing Nevada residency. Refile within 30 days of a parent or child name/address change; no annual renewal is required.
Nevada sets these rules:
- Subjects: Prepare an age-appropriate plan in English language arts, math, science, and social studies, including history, geography, economics, and government. Each subject need not be taught every year.
- Testing: Nevada does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: Keep the educational plan and proof of your child’s identity available if a court requires them. Nevada does not prescribe an annual portfolio or attendance report.
- Teachers: No state teaching-license or degree requirement for homeschool parents.
Read the Nevada homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Nevada
Questions parents ask
- Can my child try out for a WCSD team that cuts players?
- Yes. The district says there is no space-available clause for sports, so a homeschooled child must be allowed to try out like any other student under Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) rules.
- Does it cost anything?
- Only for sports. The procedure lists no tuition for classes, and a student who plays a sport pays the student activity fee, which also covers admission to games under league rules.
- Is there an age limit?
- Yes. The procedure does not apply to students past the age of compulsory attendance, and the Notice of Intent covers children ages 6-18.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Local classes cover the subjects they offer. We teach the remaining subjects, so a local class can stay part of the year without becoming the whole curriculum.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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