3114 - Home-Based, Part Time, or Off-Campus Students

Home-based instruction may be provided by parents for their own children only. The parent shall file a declaration of intent to home school with the superintendent within two (2) weeks of the beginning of any semester. Decisions relating to philosophy or doctrine, selection of books, teaching materials and curriculum methods, timing, place and provision for evaluation of home-based instruction shall be the responsibility of the parent. Failure of a parent to comply with the standards specified in the law will be a violation of the compulsory attendance law. 

Home-based instruction shall include instructional and related educational activities as required by law, including the basic skills of occupational education, science, mathematics, language, social studies, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, and the development of an appreciation of art and music. The instruction shall be equivalent to the total annual program hours per grade level as established for public schools. 

The laws of the state of Washington recognize home-based instruction as a legitimate method of education. Students requesting to be granted graduation credit for specific home-study courses may do so as outlined in policy 2410 "Promotion, Retention, Graduation". However, no student will graduate from Richland schools as a result of knowledge or skills acquired exclusively through home-based instruction. 

Elementary students returning to the public schools from home-based instructional programs shall be given standardized achievement tests by the district to determine their proper grade level placement The appropriate grade and course level placement of middle school and high school students will be determined by the building principal after consultation with the parents and review of the student's records. 

Part-time students may enroll and receive ancillary services, provided that the students are otherwise eligible for full time enrollment in the district and such courses are not available in the student's private school. Part-time status also includes: any student, not enrolled in a private school, who is receiving home-based instruction and taking courses at or receiving ancillary services from the district or both, or any student involved in an approved work approved program. 

A student may be enrolled in an off-campus learning experience provided that such experiences have been approved by the superintendent or designee. 

The superintendent shall establish procedures defining the district's responsibilities for home-based and off-campus instruction. 

Definition of Home-based Instruction 

A. The program must include planned instructional and related educational activities including the basic skill of: Occupational education, Science, Mathematics, Language, History, Health, Reading, Writing, Spelling, Social Studies, Development of an appreciation of art and music

B. The program must meet minimum hourly requirements for instruction: 

• Grades 1, 2, 3: A total of 2700 over the 3-year period 
• Grades 4, 5, 6: A total of 2970 hours over the 3-year period 
• Grades 7, 8: A total of 1980 hours over the 2-year period 
• Grades 9, 10, 11, 12: A total of 4320 hours over the 4-year period 

(In units sufficient for meeting state graduation requirements.)

C. The parents must be providing instruction for their own children only, and shall meet one the following conditions: 

Responsibilities of the Parents 

A. The parents will file annually a signed declaration of intent to provide his or her child home-based instruction. If a certificated teacher will be supervising the student, the teacher must also sign the declaration of intent form. 

B. The parents will ensure that test scores or annual academic progress assessments and immunization records, together with any other records that are kept which relate to the instructional and educational activities given, are forwarded to any public or private school to which the child transfers. 

C. The parents will ensure that a standardized achievement test, approved by the State Board of Education, is given annually to the child by a qualified person, or that an annual assessment of the student’s academic progress is written by a certificated person who is currently working as an educator. The standardized test given, or the annual academic progress assessment written, shall be made a part of the child’s permanent records. If, as a result of the annual test or assessment, it is determined that the child is not making reasonable progress consistent with his or her age or stage of development, the parent shall make a good faith effort to remedy any deficiency. 

D. The parents will provide textbooks, equipment, and other materials. 

Responsibilities of the District 

A. The district will provide ancillary services to students who would be otherwise eligible for full-time enrollment in the school district. Such services shall include, but no be limited to, the following: counseling, psychological services, remedial instruction, speech therapy, hearing therapy, health care services, tutorial services such as Home and Hospital Instruction, sports activities, Special Education, and the use of the school Library. The district will also give achievement testing if the student is at a grade level in which all students in the district are tested. 

B. The district will permit students receiving home-based instruction to enroll on a part-time basis, provided they are otherwise eligible for full-time enrollment in the district. 

C. The district will determine placement of students transferring from home-based instruction to public schools. 

D. The district will not accept course work from students currently living in the district, which is completed outside the jurisdiction of the school, for credit toward graduation, unless such course work has been approved in advance by the principal. (See policy 2410 – Graduation Requirements) 

E. The district will report cases of noncompliance to law enforcement officials.