School Attendance.  Parents of children who are 8 and under 18 years old must cause their children to attend a public school of the district in which the child resides unless the child is:

• attending an approved private school;
• receiving home-based instruction; or
• meets other exceptions provided by law.

Home-Based Instruction.  Home-based instruction requires a parent to annually file a declaration of intent to provide their child with home-based instruction beginning when the child is 8 years old until 18.

The signed declaration must be filed with the superintendent of the school district where the parent resides by September 15th of the school year, or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester. The signed declaration must include the name and age of the child, specify whether a certificated person will be supervising the instruction, and be written in a format prescribed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Parents must also keep certain records and annually administer a standardized achievement test.

A parent who intends for their child to receive home-based instruction must file a signed declaration of intent in the school year when the child turns six years old and in the school year when the child turns seven years old.

The signed declaration must be filed with the superintendent of the school district where the parent resides by September 15th of the school year, or within two weeks of the beginning of any public school quarter, trimester, or semester. The signed declaration must include the name and age of the child and be written in a format prescribed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The requirement to file a signed declaration of intent in the school year when a child turns six and seven does not modify the compulsory attendance requirements or home-based instruction requirements, which begin at age eight.

Parent is defined as a parent, guardian, or person having legal custody of a child.