- Procedure
Procedure: 3114P
Section: 3000 - Students
Title: Home-Based Education Programs
Status: Active
Adopted: March 27, 1986
Procedure - Home-Based Education Program
I. Introduction
RCW 28A.225, Compulsory School Attendance, requires students to attend school unless they are enrolled in an approved Home-Based Education Program. Home-based students must meet the same academic performance standards as students who are enrolled full-time.
II. Home-Based Instruction
A. Definition
- Home-based instruction must consist of planned and supervised instruction in the basic skills of occupational education, science, math, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and the development of an appreciation of art and music. If the parent(s) and district agree, some of these requirements could be met by the schools.
- The total annual program hours per grade level must be at least equal to the required number of hours established for approved private schools (see Section II, C. g).
- Parent(s) can only instruct their own children at home.
- Only parents of children eight (8) years of age, but under eighteen (18) years of age, (see Board Policy No. 3110) must meet the requirements of the home-based instruction law.
B. Parent Qualifications
1. A parent who is instructing his/her child must have earned forty- five (45) college level credit hours or the equivalent in semester hours, or have completed an approved course in home-based instruction at a post-secondary institution or a vocational technical institute.
2. A parent who does not meet the above qualifications provides at his/her own expense supervision by a certificated teacher who:
a. Supervises the planning of objectives;
b. Makes contact with the child at least one hour per week;
c. Evaluates the child's progress; and
d. Does not supervise more than thirty (30) home-based students.
C. Requirements
- A parent of a home-based instructed child must:
a. Complete the "Annual Declaration of the Intent to Provide Home-Based Instruction" form (see Attachment 1) and submit by September 15 of each school year or within two weeks of the beginning of a quarter or semester to the director of special services of Ferndale School District;
b. Ensure that test scores, immunization records, and other records that relate to educational activities are forwarded to any public or private school to which the child transfers;
c. Ensure that a standardized achievement test approved by the State Board of Education (see Attachment 2) is administered annually or that an annual written progress report is completed by a certificated person who is currently working in the field of education;
d. Make academic assessments part of the student's permanent file;
e. Make good faith effort to remediate any deficiency;
f. Provide at his/her own expense all necessary materials, tests, texts, equipment, progress forms, etc.; and
g. Provide the student instruction in the following minimum number of annual program hours per grade level:
Grades Hours
Grades 2, 3 900 hours per year
Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 990 hours per year
Grades 9, 10, 11, 12 1080 hours per year
2. Regarding a home-based instructed student, the school district will:
a. Allow the student to take courses and/or receive ancillary services from the district. However, these courses and ancillary services will only be offered to the home-based student in the manner and extent to which they are offered to enrolled students;
b. Count the student on Form P-240 B so the district can be reimbursed, per state formula, for the costs of the courses and ancillary services;
c. Allow eligible students to participate in interscholastic activities (see Attachment 3);
d. Allow, as needed, administration of a standardized achievement test at the time a student transfers to the district to determine appropriate grade and course level placement. Placement will occur after consulting with parents and reviewing the child's records.
III. Approved Private Schools: Extension Programs in Home-Based Instruction
A. Definition
- Approved private school extension programs in home-based instruction must consist of planned and supervised instruction in the basic skills of occupational education, science, math, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and the development of an appreciation of art and music.
- The program must provide a minimum school year of one hundred and eighty (180) days or the equivalent in total annual minimum program hour offerings (see Section II, C. g.).
B. Requirements
- Parents must:
a. Be under the supervision of a certificated employee of the approved private school;
b. Have objectives planned by the certificated person consistent with approved private school program requirements;
c. Ensure the certificated person spends a minimum of one contact hour per week with each student;
d. Have the student's progress evaluated by the certificated person;
e. Employ a certificated person who is supervising less than thirty (30) students;
f. Ensure that test scores, current immunization records, and other records that relate to educational activities are forwarded to any public or private school in which the child transfers;
g. Ensure that a standardized achievement test approved by the State Board of Education (see Attachment 2), is administered annually, or that an annual written progress report is completed by the certificated person who is currently working in the field of education;
h. Ensure that these assessments shall be made part of the student's permanent file;
I. Make a good faith effort to remediate any deficiency; and
j. Provide, at their own expense, all necessary materials, tests, texts, equipment, progress forms, etc.
2. The school district must allow students to attend classes, receive ancillary services and/or participate in sports programs, if eligible, if the sponsoring approved private school does not offer these activities.
3. The public school district is not responsible to monitor attendance, programs, progress, or any education service which it does not provide the student.
Adopted: 03.27.1986
Revised: 04.20.1987; 02.14.1996
- 3000