How to Withdraw From Public School in Washington

How withdrawal works in Washington

Step by step

1. 1

   Confirm your child is currently enrolled

   This guide is for moving a currently enrolled student to homeschooling. If your child has never attended public school in Washington (a kindergartner you're starting at home, for example), there's usually nothing to withdraw from. A quick call to the school confirms their status.

2. 2

   Send a written withdrawal letter to the school

   To withdraw your child from public school in Washington, send a written withdrawal letter to the principal or registrar, then file a notice of intent with your local school district so the transition is on record before instruction begins. Rather than hand-writing the withdrawal letter, Homeschool Fox produces a pre-formatted PDF ready to send to the district.

   Get the free Washington withdrawal letter
3. 3

   File your notice of intent

   Yes, Washington requires you to file notice of your intent to homeschool. You must notify your local school district. The notice is filed again each school year.

4. 4

   Keep dated copies for your records

   Save a copy of the withdrawal letter and anything you file, noting the date you sent it. If the district ever asks about attendance, dated proof that you withdrew on time is what closes the question.

5. 5

   Set up your homeschool

   With the withdrawal handled, the rest is starting your homeschool: planning subjects, setting an hours or days target, and keeping records. The Washington homeschool guide covers what the law asks for from here.

   Read the Washington homeschool guide

Withdrawing for the first time? The guide to withdrawing from public school covers the records request and mid-year timing in any state.

Free Washington printables

Three ready-to-use PDFs for Washington homeschoolers. No account needed.

Templates, not legal advice. Confirm the current rule with your state or district.

What Homeschool Fox tracks for Washington

The records Washington asks you to keep, plus the rest of your year, in one place. No spreadsheets, no lost notebooks.

• Hours toward your 1000-hour goal
• Required subjects
• Days attended
• The records Washington asks you to keep
• Parent's choice (testing or evaluation)
• Daily activity logs
• Printable PDF reports
• Progress tracking

More Washington guides

• Washington Homeschool Requirements Hours, notice, assessment, and subjects at a glance.
• Homeschooling High School in Washington Credits, GPA, transcripts, and graduation.
• Record Keeping in Washington What to document, how to organize it, and staying compliant.
• Moving to Washington What to file when you arrive and whether your records transfer.
• Public School Sports in Washington Whether homeschoolers can play, what it takes, and who to ask.
• Homeschool Hours Required in Washington The number, what counts toward it, and the pace to hit it.
• Required Subjects in Washington The list, how much time each needs, and proving you taught them.
• Washington Letter of Intent Who to file with, when it's due, and a free generator.
• Homeschool Testing in Washington What the state asks for, when, and low-score rules.