Homeschool benefits: Seattle Public Schools
Seattle Public Schools lets a homeschooled student take individual courses or receive services such as special education, counseling, testing, or sports on a part-time basis, tuition free for district residents. You send the district's request form to the Office of Admissions each school year.
Who qualifies
Receives home-based instruction
Washington counts a homeschooled student who takes a public school course or service as a part-time public school student. Check the Homeschooling box on the form.
Lives in Seattle Public Schools
Residents may attend the schools in their attendance area tuition free. A student from outside the district may be enrolled only at the district's discretion under its nonresident rules.
Could enroll full time
State law gives part-time access only to students who would otherwise be eligible to enroll full time in the district.
Names the course or service
List each course with its start date, or check the special education services you want, and sign that it is not available in your homeschool.
What you can request
Washington's part-time attendance rule, WAC 392-134, and Seattle Public Schools' request form set these terms.
- General education courses
- Any course offered to full-time students
- Special education services
- Academics, speech, audiology, OT, PT, and more
- Other ancillary services
- Counseling, testing, tutoring, sports
- Tuition for district residents
- $0
- Where services happen
- Public school sites
- How often you apply
- Every school year
The form does not list seat limits or course fees, so ask Admissions whether the course has room at your attendance-area school and whether it carries a class fee.
From requesting to attending
- Before the school year
Choose courses or services
Decide which classes or services your child needs and whether you want them for the full academic year or a shorter period.
- When you request
Fill out the form
Give your child's name, student ID or birthdate, grade, and address, list each course and start date or the special education services you want, and sign the parent attestation.
- To submit
Email Admissions
Return the completed form to the Seattle Public Schools Office of Admissions at admissions@seattleschools.org.
- Each new school year
Request again
The part-time attendance form must be submitted every year, so send a new one before each school year.
What it includes
Included
- Courses offered to full-time students
- Special education services
- Counseling, psychological services, and testing
- Remedial instruction and tutoring
- Sports activities
Not included
- Services held at religious school sites
- A guaranteed seat for nonresidents
Washington's rule defines ancillary services broadly, including counseling, testing, speech and hearing therapy, health services, and sports, and part-time students may receive any of them that the school offers full-time students.
Who to contact about part-time attendance
The Office of Admissions receives part-time attendance requests from private school and homeschool families and answers questions about the form.
admissions@seattleschools.org Part-time attendance request form
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
- Do we pay tuition for Seattle Public Schools courses?
- No, if you live in the district. Washington's rule lets resident part-time students attend the schools in their attendance area tuition free.
- Can my child get Seattle Public Schools special education services without enrolling full time?
- Yes. The form has a special education section where you can request academics, speech, audiology, social and emotional support, occupational therapy, study and organization help, or physical therapy.
- Can my homeschooled child play on a school sports team?
- Yes, when the school offers the sport to full-time students. Washington's rule lists sports among the ancillary services a part-time student may receive, so name the sport on your request and confirm the details with Admissions.
- We live outside Seattle. Can we still apply?
- Only at the district's discretion. Enrolling a nonresident part-time student follows the district's nonresident attendance rules.
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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