Homeschool benefits: Meridian School District
The Meridian Parent Partnership Program (MP3) is a free public school for grades K-8, open to students throughout Washington, where you teach at home with a written student learning plan, approved curriculum, and support from certificated staff. Enrolling makes your child a public school student in an Alternative Learning Experience (ALE), full time or part time.
Who qualifies
Is in grades K-8
MP3 serves kindergarten through 8th grade students who live in Washington State.
Enrolls as a public school student
Full-time MP3 students are public school students, not homeschoolers, even if you filed a declaration of intent. A homeschooled child can instead enroll part time and keep home-based status.
Signs the Statement of Understanding
Before enrollment, you sign a form confirming you understand the difference between home-based instruction and an ALE. MP3 lists a choice transfer, registration, and this statement as the new-student steps.
What MP3 provides
The terms come from MP3's program pages and its Statement of Understanding.
- Tuition
- Free
- Grades served
- K-8
- Learning plan
- Written plan overseen by certificated staff
- Curriculum
- From MP3's approved materials list
- Monthly progress review
- Opens the 1st, due the 5th
- State tests for part-time students
- Not required
Full-time students must meet public school attendance, course, and assessment rules, so ask MP3 how state testing works for your child's grade before you enroll.
How to enroll
- Before you enroll
Fill out the interest form
MP3 asks interested families to submit its interest form for a personal explanation of how you and your child can take part.
- To enroll
Complete the new-student steps
Finish the choice transfer if you live outside the district, register, and sign the Statement of Understanding.
- At the start
Build the learning plan
Work with your MP3 staff member on a written student learning plan and choose materials from the approved list, screening anything new with the Instructional Materials Screening Form.
- Each month
Submit the monthly review
SchoolData opens on the 1st; record the topics, activities, and evaluation for each subject by the 5th.
What it includes
Included
- A free K-8 public school program
- Certificated staff support and supervision
- A written student learning plan
- Recommended and approved curriculum
Not included
- Grades 9-12
- Students outside Washington
- Homeschool status for full-time students
Who to contact about MP3
The MP3 office at 240 West Laurel Road, Bellingham, answers enrollment questions Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Washington
You must file a declaration of intent by September 15 for the school year, or within two weeks after the start of a public-school quarter or term for a later start.
Washington sets these rules:
- Subjects: Teach occupational education, science, mathematics, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and art and music appreciation. Provide hours equivalent to the annual program hours per grade for approved private schools under RCW 28A.195.010 and .040.
- Testing: Each year, obtain a state-board-approved standardized test administered by a qualified person or a written assessment by a Washington-certificated person currently working in education.
- Records: Keep annual test or assessment results permanently, along with immunization records. Forward required records if your child transfers to a public or approved private school.
- Teachers: The parent needs 45 college quarter credits or the semester equivalent, a home-instruction course at a postsecondary or vocational-technical institute, supervision by a certificated teacher, or the superintendent’s finding of sufficient qualifications. Teacher supervision includes planned objectives, an average of at least one contact hour per week with the child each month, and progress evaluation; the teacher may supervise no more than 30 children.
Read the Washington homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Washington
Questions parents ask
- Is my child still homeschooled in MP3?
- Not if enrolled full time: a full-time MP3 student is a public school student under all public school rules. A homeschooled child enrolled part time keeps home-based status and follows the learning plan only for the enrolled portion.
- Do we have to live in Meridian School District?
- No. MP3 is offered throughout Washington state; families from other districts complete a choice transfer as part of enrolling.
- Who chooses the curriculum?
- You do, working from MP3's recommended curriculum guide and approved materials list. Items not on the list go through the Instructional Materials Screening Form.
- What is the monthly review?
- It is a reflection on the past month's learning that you and your MP3 staff member complete in SchoolData for each subject, covering topics, activities, and evaluation.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Put eligible education funds toward a curriculum that teaches the courses and grades the work. Check the program’s purchasing rules before paying.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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