Washington State Education Self-Determination & Economic Development Research

Compiled: 2026-02-09

1. WA State Homeschool Laws & Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) Programs

Home-Based Instruction (Homeschooling)

Governing Law: RCW 28A.200.010 — Home-Based Instruction

Key Requirements:

Declaration of Intent: Filed annually with the local school district by September 15, or within two weeks of beginning homeschool instruction
Compulsory Age: 8-18 (with new SB 6261 in 2026 requiring declarations for children ages 6-7 not enrolled in public/private school)
Instructional Days: Minimum 180 days per year (approximately 1,000 hours)
Required Subjects (11): Reading, writing, spelling, language, math, science, social studies, history, health, occupational education, art/music appreciation
Parent Qualifications (one of the following):
- 45 college quarter credits (or equivalent)
- Completion of a home instruction course (at least 12 quarter hours or equivalent)
- Supervised by a certified teacher (at least one hour per week)
- Deemed qualified by the local superintendent
Assessment: Annual assessment required (standardized test or evaluation by certified teacher)

Funding: Independent homeschool families receive NO direct public funding — no vouchers, ESAs, or tax credits currently exist in Washington State.

Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) Programs

Governing Law: RCW 28A.232 — Alternative Learning Experience Courses Administrative Rules: WAC 392-550

What ALE Is: ALE is public education where some or all instruction is delivered outside of a regular classroom schedule. Students enrolled in ALE are public school students — not homeschoolers — and are counted toward district enrollment and funding.

Types of ALE:

Parent Partnership Programs (see Section 2)
Online/digital learning programs
Contract-based learning
Hybrid models combining home instruction with on-campus classes

How Families Access Public Funding Through ALE:

Family enrolls child in a district’s ALE program
Child is technically a public school student enrolled in the district
District receives full per-pupil state funding for the enrolled student
District provides educational services: curriculum, teacher oversight, enrichment classes, materials
A certificated teacher develops and monitors Written Student Learning Plans (WSLP)
Weekly contact and monthly progress reviews are required

Critical Legal Distinction:

ALE students do NOT file Declaration of Intent forms
The parent’s educational program is overseen by a school district employee
ALE is public school — legally distinct from home-based instruction under RCW 28A.200

Anti-Solicitation Rule (WAC 392-550-030): Districts are prohibited from advertising or providing unsolicited information about ALE programs to families who have filed home-based instruction declarations. Districts may only respond to parent-initiated requests for information.

Expenditure Restrictions (RCW 28A.232.010): Districts may not purchase instructional or co-curricular experiences for ALE students unless substantially similar experiences are available to students in the regular instructional program. Districts that do purchase such services must report annually to OSPI.

2. Parent Partnership Programs (PPPs)

How They Work

Parent Partnership Programs are a specific type of ALE offered by many Washington school districts. They represent the primary pathway for families seeking to direct their children’s education while accessing public funding.

Structure:

Families enroll their child in the school district through the PPP
A certificated teacher serves as the child’s advisor
Family and teacher collaboratively develop a Written Student Learning Plan
Family directs day-to-day instruction at home or in community settings
Student may attend enrichment classes on-campus (varies by district: art, science labs, music, PE, robotics, LEGO, etc.)
Weekly contact between family and teacher is required
Monthly progress reviews are conducted

What Districts Typically Provide:

Curriculum and textbook lending (math, English, science, etc.)
Access to enrichment classes (frequency varies: some offer 1 class/week, others offer multiple)
Library access
Teacher guidance and oversight
Some districts provide access to standardized testing

Funding Per Student: ALE students (including PPP students) are funded at the same general apportionment rate as non-ALE students. Based on current Washington State figures:

Statewide average total per-student spending: approximately $19,603 (state + local + federal sources, 2025-27 budget)
MSOC (Materials, Supplies, Operating Costs) allocation: $1,614.28 per student (general education, 2025-26)
Additional 9-12 MSOC: $214.84 per student
Curriculum and textbooks allocation: $164.48 per FTE student
Other supplies allocation: $326.54 per FTE student

The district receives the full per-pupil allocation and then distributes services/materials to families. Direct cash allotments to families are prohibited under Washington law.

Program Variation: Each district’s PPP differs significantly. Examples of known programs:

Snoqualmie Valley Parent Partnership Program (PPP) — Snoqualmie Valley School District
Cascade Parent Partnership (CPPP) — Seattle Public Schools
Meadowbrook School (MBS) — Snoqualmie Valley School District
Northshore Family Partnership — Northshore School District
Bellevue Discovery Family Partnership — Bellevue School District
Puyallup Parent Partnership (P4) — Puyallup School District
Yakima Parent Partnership — Yakima School District 7
Barker Creek Community School — Central Kitsap School District
PEARL — Quincy School District
South Whidbey ALE — South Whidbey School District

Approximately 23+ districts across Washington offer some form of parent partnership or ALE program.

3. Since Time Immemorial (STI) Curriculum

Legislative History

2005: Legislature passed initial legislation encouraging (but not mandating) tribal sovereignty curriculum
2015: Senate Bill 5433 revised the language to mandate the teaching of tribal sovereignty curriculum
2024: House Bill 1879 renamed the curriculum in honor of John McCoy (lulilash) — now officially the “John McCoy (lulilash) Since Time Immemorial: Tribal Sovereignty in Washington State” curriculum

Current Legal Mandate

RCW 28A.320.170 — Curricula: Tribal History and Culture (Full text)

Requirements:

When a school district board of directors reviews or adopts social studies curriculum, it shall incorporate curricula about the history, culture, and government of the nearest federally recognized Indian tribe(s)
School districts shall use the Since Time Immemorial curriculum developed by OSPI (available free of charge), and may modify it for regional specificity
School districts shall collaborate with OSPI on statewide topics (tribal sovereignty, federal Indian policy)
The curriculum is mandated at elementary, middle, and high school grade levels (PK-12)

RCW 28B.10.710 — Requires integration of the STI curriculum into all teacher pre-service education programs (teacher training)

Scope and Endorsement

Endorsed by all 29 federally recognized tribes in Washington
Covers: tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, history of federal Indian policy, contemporary tribal/state government institutions, contributions of Indian nations
Free curriculum materials available from OSPI for elementary, middle school, and high school
Not a standalone subject but integrated across social studies, history, and government instruction

Relevance to Self-Directed Education

The STI mandate applies to all public schools, including ALE programs. Families in Parent Partnership Programs could incorporate STI curriculum as part of their learning plans. The curriculum is freely available from OSPI, making it accessible to homeschool families as well (though not mandated for them).

4. Outdoor School for All

Legislative Foundation

RCW 28A.300.793 — Outdoor Learning Grant Program
RCW 28A.300.795 — Related high school counselor outdoor experiences
Established by the Legislature in 2021
Administered by the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO)

Program Design

Subsidies for schools to send 5th and 6th grade students to overnight outdoor school programs
Related experiences for high school counselors
Grant-based: schools apply for funding to cover costs of outdoor education programs

Funding History and Current Status

Budget Period	Funding Amount
2021-23 biennium	~$10 million
2023-25 biennium	$20 million (doubled)
2025-27 biennium	$0 (zeroed out)

What Happened:

In the 2025-27 operating budget, lawmakers zeroed out all funding for the Outdoor Learning Grant Program while working to close a budget gap
Approximately $1.4 million remains from the previous budget cycle
This remnant funding can support only 50-60 of the highest-need schools in the 2025-26 school year
Far more schools have applied than can be funded

Impact

Programs like IslandWood (Bainbridge Island) and numerous outdoor education providers across the state have been affected
Both state and federal budget cuts have compounded the problem for environmental education organizations

Restoration Efforts

Outdoor Schools Washington (outdoorschoolswa.org) is leading advocacy efforts
They are gathering data on:
- Which schools applied for funding in the past
- Which schools had hoped to continue receiving funding
- Tracking who has been affected
- Documenting demand for outdoor education
This data is being compiled to advocate for restoration in future legislative sessions
As of February 2026, no restoration bill has been identified in the current session, but advocacy continues

5. WA State Per-Pupil Funding Amounts

Total Per-Pupil Spending (All Sources)

$19,603 average per student (state + local + federal) — 2025-27 operating budget
$19,955 per student — NEA estimate
$42.3 billion total K-12 operating budget for 2025-27 biennium

State Funding Formula: Prototypical School Model

Washington uses a “prototypical school” funding model under RCW 28A.150.260. The formula calculates staffing ratios and operating costs for prototype schools of different sizes and grade levels.

Materials, Supplies, and Operating Costs (MSOC) Per Student (2025-26)

Category	Amount Per Student
General MSOC	$1,614.28
Additional 9-12 MSOC	$214.84
CTE/Skill Center MSOC	$1,796.05
Curriculum & textbooks	$164.48
Other supplies	$326.54

Additional Context

SB 5918 (2025-26 session): Would allocate an additional $100 per student with a minimum allocation per district of $100,000 for materials, supplies, and operating costs
Washington ranks 3rd in the country for starting teacher salaries, 2nd for average teacher salaries
Average total compensation: Administrator $224,941 / Teacher $144,139 / Classified staff $105,816

How Per-Pupil Funding Flows to ALE/PPP Families

ALE students generate the same per-pupil funding as any other public school student. The district receives the full allocation and then provides educational services. The critical point: the money goes to the district, not directly to families. The district then decides what services, materials, and support to provide.

6. Cooperative Education Models, Learning Cooperatives & Microschool Legislation

Current Legal Status in Washington

Washington State has no specific microschool or learning cooperative legislation as of February 2026. Microschools and learning cooperatives operate under one of three existing frameworks:

As private schools — Must meet facility, staffing, and curricular standards (often cost-prohibitive for small schools)
Under homeschool laws (RCW 28A.200) — Face oversight, assessment mandates, and reporting requirements not designed for multi-family or educator-led models
As ALE programs within a school district — Receive public funding but must comply with all ALE regulations

Failed Legislation

A Washington proposal to establish a pilot project to authorize certified teachers to operate microschools failed during the 2022 legislative session
No equivalent bill has been identified in the 2025-26 session

Existing Public School Microschool Experiments

Issaquah School District operates an experimental microschool at Maywood Middle School combining science and English with environment focus and hands-on learning
Not offered as a full-day standalone program due to funding constraints
District officials could not assemble enough money to launch a larger pilot

Education Savings Account Proposals (Not Enacted)

HB 1615 — Education Savings Accounts

Would provide approximately $11,000 per student in an ESA
Additional $10,000 for special needs students
Eligible expenses: private school tuition, tutoring, exam fees, homeschool curriculum, education-related therapies
Targeted at families with children assigned to failing schools, low-income families, and families with special needs children
Status: Not enacted. Had a hearing in 2023-24 session; reintroduced and retained but has not passed.

National Context

States that have passed microschool-specific legislation:

Georgia, Tennessee, Texas: “Learning Rights Protection Acts” codifying microschools’ right to operate
Oregon, Illinois, Massachusetts: Require hybrid authorization similar to private schools
Most states: Microschools operate under homeschool or private school laws without specific legislation

Learning Cooperatives / Pods in Practice

Learning cooperatives and pods operate informally in Washington, typically under homeschool law:

Families form groups and share teaching responsibilities
No specific legal framework exists for this model
If structured as a “school,” private school requirements may apply
If structured as cooperative homeschooling, each family must independently meet homeschool requirements

7. How Families Can Create Their Own Learning Programs & Access Public Funding

Pathway 1: Independent Homeschooling (No Public Funding)

Requirements: File Declaration of Intent, meet parent qualifications, teach 11 subjects for 180 days, annual assessment Funding: None from the state Freedom: Maximum curricular freedom; family designs entire program Cost: Family bears all costs (curriculum, materials, activities)

Pathway 2: Enroll in a Parent Partnership Program / ALE (Public Funding)

Requirements: Enroll child in district ALE program; work with certificated teacher on Written Student Learning Plan; participate in weekly contact and monthly reviews Funding: District receives full per-pupil allocation (~$19,603 average); district provides curriculum, materials, enrichment classes Freedom: Significant family direction, but teacher oversight is required and the learning plan must align with state standards Cost: Free to families; district provides materials and services

Pathway 3: Part-Time Public School Enrollment

Under RCW 28A.150.350: Homeschool students may access public school part-time (specific courses, activities) Funding: District receives prorated funding based on courses taken Freedom: Family controls most of the educational program; child takes specific classes (e.g., science labs, music, PE, CTE)

Pathway 4: Online Public School Programs (ALE)

Programs like Washington Virtual Academies (WAVA), Insight School of Washington, etc. Funding: Full per-pupil funding to the program/district Freedom: Moderate; curriculum is typically pre-set but delivered at home on flexible schedule

Pathway 5: Form a Cooperative Under Homeschool Law (No Public Funding)

Multiple families share teaching duties
Each family must independently meet homeschool requirements
No specific cooperative legal framework
No public funding unless families individually also enroll in ALE programs

Pathway 6: Charter Schools

Under RCW 28A.710: Washington allows up to 40 charter schools statewide

Funded at per-pupil rates comparable to traditional public schools
More autonomy than traditional schools but less than homeschooling
May offer innovative models but limited availability

What Does NOT Exist in Washington (as of Feb 2026)

Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) — proposed (HB 1615) but not enacted
School vouchers
Tax credit scholarships
Microschool-specific legislation
Direct payments to homeschool families

8. Economic Multiplier Effects of Education Spending

Federal Reserve Research

Source: De Ridder, Hannon, Pfajfar (2020). “The Multiplier Effect of Education Expenditure.” Federal Reserve Board, Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2020-058.

Key Finding:

A 1% increase in Pell grants relative to a city’s income generates a 2.4% increase in local income over two years
This 2.4x multiplier exceeds the average multiplier for military spending (1.5x)

Conditions Affecting Multiplier:

Higher when funds go to non-profit institutions (for-profit colleges absorb grants through tuition increases)
Higher during recessions than expansions (countercyclical tool)

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond — Local Fiscal Multipliers

General Range: Government spending generates local income multipliers of 1.3x to 2.0x — each additional $1 of government spending increases local GDP by $1.30 to $2.00

Auburn University — K-12 Education as Economic Development

Source: Educational Spending as Economic Development, Education Policy Research Center

K-12 Specific Findings:

K-12 schools are often the largest employer in rural and small-town communities
Education spending generates $9.40 in economic impact for every dollar budgeted to education systems (broader estimates)
For every dollar the government spends on education, GDP grows on average by $20 over the long term (lifetime earnings effects)

Community-Level Economic Effects

Research consistently documents these multiplier effects:

Direct employment: Teacher and staff salaries recirculate in local economies
Local procurement: Schools purchase supplies, food, maintenance services locally
Property values: Quality schools increase nearby property values by 5-20%
Reduced social costs: Education reduces incarceration, healthcare, and social service costs
Human capital: Each additional year of schooling increases lifetime earnings by 8-13%
Tax revenue: Higher-educated populations generate more tax revenue
Community revitalization: Schools serve as community anchors and gathering places

Implications for Family-Directed Education & Economic Development

When education dollars flow to families who then spend them in their communities (on curricula, tutors, materials, enrichment providers, co-op spaces, etc.), the economic multiplier can be even more dispersed than traditional school spending because:

Spending distributes across more local vendors rather than concentrating in one institution
Family choice creates demand for local educational entrepreneurs (tutors, program providers, learning spaces)
Cooperative models create micro-economies around education
Local spending on educational materials and experiences stays in the community

Key Statute & Rule Reference Table

Reference	Topic
RCW 28A.200.010	Home-Based Instruction
RCW 28A.232	Alternative Learning Experience Courses
WAC 392-550	ALE Administrative Rules
WAC 392-550-030	ALE Anti-Solicitation Rule
RCW 28A.150.260	Basic Education Funding Formula
RCW 28A.150.220	Basic Education Minimum Requirements
RCW 28A.320.170	Since Time Immemorial Curriculum Mandate
RCW 28B.10.710	STI in Teacher Pre-Service Programs
RCW 28A.300.793	Outdoor Learning Grant Program
RCW 28A.300.795	Outdoor School — High School Counselors
RCW 28A.150.350	Part-Time Public School Enrollment
RCW 28A.710	Charter Schools
SB 5433 (2015)	Mandated STI Curriculum
HB 1879 (2024)	Named STI after John McCoy (lulilash)
SB 6261 (2026)	New reporting for 6-7 year olds
HB 1615 (proposed)	Education Savings Accounts (not enacted)
SB 5918 (2025-26)	Additional $100/student MSOC funding

Summary: The Self-Determination Gap

Washington State provides significant per-pupil funding (~$19,603/student) but channels it exclusively through institutional structures. The primary tension:

Families who want to direct their own education have two options:

Full freedom, zero funding (independent homeschool)
Significant freedom with full funding, but institutional oversight (ALE/Parent Partnership)

What does not exist:

Direct funding to families (ESAs, vouchers)
Microschool-specific legal frameworks
Learning cooperative legislation
Tax credits for education expenses

The economic argument for change: Federal Reserve research shows education spending generates multipliers of 1.3x to 2.4x in local economies. If even a portion of per-pupil funding flowed more directly to families and community education providers, the dispersed spending pattern could generate economic development effects across more local vendors, entrepreneurs, and community institutions rather than concentrating in school district operations.

Research compiled from public sources. All statute citations link to official Washington State Legislature websites. Dollar amounts reflect most recently available figures as of February 2026.