Know Your Homeschool Laws: Compulsory Attendance
The linchpin of all educational laws is compulsory attendance. Compulsory attendance laws are on the books in every state, but vary widely. In Washington, children 8-18 are subject to compulsory attendance laws. Just over our border to the east, in Idaho, children 7-16 must attend school. Across the border to our south, in Oregon, it’s 7-18. If your child does not comply with attendance laws, *he will be considered truant, and the penalties range from fines to time in jail.
In each state, exceptions to compulsory attendance in public schools include children who are in private schools, alternative education programs, and who are homeschooled.
RCW 28A.225.010
Attendance mandatory
(1) All parents in this state of any child eight years of age and under eighteen years of age
shall cause such child to attend the public school of the district in which the child resides
and such child shall have the responsibility to and therefore shall attend for the full time
when such school may be in session unless:
(b) The child is receiving home-based instruction as provided in subsection (4) of this
section;
Other exceptions to the compulsory attendance laws include children younger than 8 who are enrolled in a public school, and children older than 18, who continue to attend their program. The basic idea here is “in for a penny, in for a pound” . . . you cannot choose to be absent if you’re in a public school program, because you have made yourself subject to the attendance laws. If you un-enroll your under-8 or over-18 child, they are no longer subject to the compulsory attendance laws.