Residential Private Schools

All residential private schools in Washington must be approved by the Washington State Board of Education. In order to be approved by the Board they must certify that they maintain a program that ensures a sufficient basic education for students to meet usual state graduation requirements and meet reasonable standards for health and safety of private school students (RCW 28A.195.010). In addition, residential private schools must by licensed by the Department of Child, Youth and Families (DYCF) or accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Board.

To be recognized for this purpose, an accrediting body must already meet the criteria in WAC 180-55-017 and demonstrate that its standards for student living accommodations examine criteria are comparable to those established in DCYF rules implementing RCW 74.15.325. Accreditation of a residential program is a supplemental accreditation status that is separate to accreditation of their academic program. Residential accreditation may only be granted to schools whose academic program is fully accredited by the same SBE-recognized accrediting body listed below.

List of Recognized Residential Private School Accreditors

• Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS) - Approved December 2025
• Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) - Approved February 2026
• Adventist Accrediting Organization (AAA) - Approved June 2026

Residential Private School Accreditor Criteria

WAC 180-55-160, adopted in April 2025, outlines the State Board of Education's criteria and process for recognizing an accreditor of student living accommodations for private schools. In order for an accreditor to be approved, the Board must find that the accrediting agency's standards for accreditation must be comparable to the criteria established in negotiated rules developed by the DCYF to implement RCW 74.15.325. Additionally, an accreditor recognized by the Board for the purpose of accrediting student living accommodations must also meet the criteria in . The process relies on a review and recommendation of comparability by the Private School Advisory Committee (PSAC).

These criteria include, but are not limited to:

1. Sleeping accommodations — appropriate space per student and safe, developmentally appropriate sleeping arrangements.

2. Privacy requirements — standards ensuring developmentally appropriate privacy for students.

3. Personal storage — adequate, secure storage for each student’s belongings.

4. Nutrition — how the school meets student nutritional needs within residential settings.

5. Cleanliness and hygiene — expectations for safe, sanitary living quarters.

6. Support for social-emotional well-being during noninstructional hours — daily living supports that promote healthy development outside class time.

7. Health and wellness accommodations — access to health, wellness, and, when applicable, mental-health supports.

8. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility — accommodations ensuring accessibility for students with disabilities.

9. Physical safety of living spaces — standards addressing hazards, supervision, emergency preparedness, and general residential safety.

Please Note: Private school residential facilities are no longer exempt from licensing requirements administered by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).