Contact
For questions about home-based instruction or clarification on part-time enrollment, please use one of the following contacts:
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Learning Alternative Department
Email: homebased@k12.wa.us
Office: 360-725-4971 | tty: 360-664-3631
Learn More
The Board has assembled a list of answers to frequently asked questions.
Home-based instruction is an educational option authorized under RCW 28A.200 and RCW 28A.225.010(4), allowing parents to independently educate their children outside of the public school system.
While the State Board of Education does not oversee home-based instruction, it is responsible for recommending standardized achievement tests that may be used to assess academic progress. These responsibilities are outlined in WAC 180-52-070 and RCW 28A.200.010(1)(c).
Annual Assessment Requirement
Washington state law requires that students receiving home-based instruction must have their academic progress assessed annually. Parents may choose one of the following options to meet this requirement:
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Summative Achievement Test: This may be provided by the public school during a regularly scheduled testing session, or approved by the State Board of Education under WAC 180-52-070. In both cases, the test must be administered by a qualified individual and properly documented in accordance with RCW 28A.200.010.
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Teacher Evaluation: Obtain a written academic evaluation from a currently certified teacher working in education.
Standardized Test Options
If parents choose to meet the assessment requirement through standardized testing, the following types of tests are permitted:
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State Standardized Achievement Tests
These may be used if taken during a regularly scheduled testing session at a public school. Parents should contact their local school district’s assessment coordinator to arrange participation. Please refer to OSPI's State Testing webpage for more information.
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Tests Reviewed by the Buros Institute of Mental Measurements
Any test listed by the Buros Institute may be used, provided it is administered and documented in accordance with 28A.200.010.
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Tests Approved by the State Board of Education
The State Board of Education maintains a list of standardized tests approved under WAC 180-52-070.
Note: The tests below are approved, but availability may vary. Parents are responsible for ensuring that the test is properly administered and documented, in accordance with state law, 28A.200.010.
List of Approved Standardized Tests
Please Note: This list was last update August 2025. Some tests may no longer be available.
| Test Name | Publisher | Grade Levels |
|---|---|---|
| ACT | ACT | College and Career Readiness Solutions | Grades 7 - 12 |
| ASVAB | Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery | Grades 10 - 12 |
| BASI | Basic Assessment Skills Inventory | EDUMETRISIS | Grades 3 - 12 |
| BASI-2 Comprehensive | Basic Assessment Skills Inventory | EDUMETRISIS | Grades 3 - 12 |
| CAT 5 (CTB) | California Achievement Test | McGraw-Hill | Grades K - 12 |
| CAT 5 Survey | California Achievement Test | McGraw-Hill | Grades 2 - 12 |
| CLT | Classic Learning Test | Classic Learning Intitiative | Grades 3 - 8 |
| GED | General Educational Development | American Council on Education | Grade 12 |
| GED Ready - All Subjects | General Educational Development | American Council on Education | Grades 9 - 11 |
| Iowa Assessments | Riverside Publishing Company | Grades 3 - 12 |
| Logramos Tercera Edición | Riverside Insights | Grades K - 9 |
| P.A.S.S. Test | Personalized Achievement Summary System | Hewitt Learning | Grades 3 - 8 |
| PASS | Personalized Achievement Summary System | Pearson | Grades K - 12 |
| PIAT | Peabody Individual Achievement Test | Pearson | Grades K - 13 |
| PreACT 8/9 | PreACT | American College Testing, Inc. | Grades 8 - 10 |
| PSAT 8/9 | PSAT 10 | PSAT 11 | The College Board | Grades 8 - 11 |
| SAT 10 | Stanford Achievement Test [online] | Pearson | Grades 3 - 12 |
| SAT 10 | Stanford Achievement Test Series [paper] | Pearson | Grades K - 12 |
| SAT and SAT Subject Tests | The College Board | Grades 10 - 12 |
| SBA | Smarter Balanced Assessment | Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium | Grades 3 - 8 & 10 |
| SESAT | Stanford Early School Achievement Test | Riverside Publishing Company | Grades K - 12 |
| TerraNova 2 / CAT6 | CTB/McGraw-Hill | Grades K - 12 |
| TerraNova 3 | CTB/McGraw-Hill | Grades K - 8 |
| WIAT III | Weschler Individual Achievement | Pearson | Grades Pre-K - 12 |
| WIAT-4 | Weschler Individual Achievement | Pearson | Grades Pre-K - 12 |
| WJ IV | Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement | Riverside Insights | Grades Pre-K - 12 |
| WRAT5 | Wide Range Achievement Test, Fifth Edition | Pearson | Grades K - 12 |
Resources
Home-Based Instruction Frequently Asked Questions
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction's Webpage on Home-Based Instruction
The Pink Book: Washington State Laws Regulating Home-Based Instruction
Chapter 28A.200 RCW – Home-based Instruction Statute