Do your parents need a degree for homeschooling in Bellingham?

Question

i read that was a law for WA. but im not sure...

Answer 1

No.

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2007-2008 Edition

WASHINGTON

Compulsory Attendance Ages: “eight years of age and under eighteen years of age.” Revised Code of Washington Annotated § 28A.225.010.

Required Days of Instruction: 180 days or in grades 1-12 “an annual average total instructional hour offering of one thousand hours.” However, “the nature and quantity of instruction and related education activities shall be liberally construed.” Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.225.010(4) and (5), § 28A.195.010(1), §28A.150.220 (1)(b).

Required Subjects: Occupational education, science, math, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and the development of an appreciation of art and music. Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.225.010.

Home schoolers have two options. They can qualify under the home school statute or operate as an extension of a private school.

Option I: Home School Statute. Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.225.010 and § 28A.200.010.

1. Home-based instruction consists of “planned and supervised instructional and related educational activities, including a curriculum and instruction in the basic skills [listed under Required Subjects above].”

2. Parents must provide a number of hours of instruction “equivalent” to the program hours established for approved private schools. (See above.)

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3. INSTRUCTION MAY ONLY BE PROVIDED BY A

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PARENT WHO IS EITHER:

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A. instructing his child only and is supervised by a certificated person (i.e., the certificated person and the parent plan educational objectives; the certificated person has a minimum each month of an average of one contact hour per week with the child; and the certificated person evaluates the child’s progress);

B. or instructing his child only and has either forty-five college quarter credits or the equivalent in semester credits (approximately 30 semester credits. 1 quarter credit=2/3 semester credit);

C. or has completed a course in home-based education at a post-secondary institution or a vocational-technical institute (these courses are generally do not require an extensive time commitment);

D. or “deemed sufficiently qualified to provide home-based instruction by the superintendent of the local school district.”

4. The requirements above “relating to the nature and quantity of instructional and related educational activities shall be LIBERALLY CONSTRUED.” § 28A.225.010(5).

WA-1

(All emphasis are my own)

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Washington WA-2

5. Parents must file an annual signed declaration of intent to home school by Sept. 15 of each year “or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester” with the local superintendent or with the superintendent of a nonresident district which accepts the home school student as a transfer student under § 28A.225.220. “The statement shall include the name and age of the child, shall specify whether a certificated person will be supervising the instruction, and shall be written in a format prescribed by the superintendent of public instruction.” Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.200.010(1).

6. “The state hereby recognizes that parents who are causing their children to receive home-based instruction under RCW 28A.225.010(4) shall be subject only to those minimum state laws and regulations which are necessary to insure that a sufficient basic educational opportunity is provided to the children receiving such instruction. Therefore, all decisions relating to philosophy or doctrine, selection of books, teaching materials, and curriculum, and methods, timing, and place in the provision or evaluation of home-based instruction shall be the responsibility of the parent except for matters specifically referred to in this chapter.” § 28A.200.020

Option II: Alternative Statute Allowing for Home Instruction. § 28A.225.010(1)(a), 28A.195.010(4). An approved private school may operate an extension program for parents, guardians, or persons having legal custody of a child to teach children in their custody. These students are considered to be private school students.

Teacher Qualifications:

If using Option I, see #3 above.

If using Option II, same as 3(a) above.

Standardized Tests: Under Option I, either:

a. Parents must ensure that a standardized test approved by the state board is administered annually to the child by a “qualified” person or,

b. Have the child evaluated by a certificated person. § 28A.200.010(3).

c. Neither the results of the standardized achievement test nor the evaluation results need to be submitted to the public schools. The results must be retained by the parents as part of the child’s permanent records. § 28A.200.010(3).

Under Option II: Each student’s progress must be evaluated by the certificated person. § 28A.195.010(4)(d).

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source: http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Washi...

There's absolutely no mention anywhere of parents needing to have a degree in order to homeschool their *own* kids.

Answer 2

I don't know where you read that from, it is not true.

To homeschool in Washington State a parent must meet *ONE* of the following requirements:

Have 45 college quarter credit hours or the equivalent in semester hours.

*OR*

Complete a homeschool qualifying course, (available on-line, or as 1 or 2 day seminar).

*OR*

Work with a certified teacher who meets with the student an average of 1 hour a week.

*OR*

Be deemed qualified by the the superintendent of Public instruction for your local school district.

Notice all the "OR's"

Only one of the above must be met, and only one of the above requires any college, even the option that requires college does not require a degree, just a certain number of credits, and those credits can be for anything, even photography and classes like that.

Answer 3

Check with your school district.  

Or contact a Home School group in your area. My church had a large home school group.

I'd be very surprised if they required a 4 years degree to teach your own child.