Idaho vs Washington: Homeschool Laws Compared

Washington is the more regulated of the two: it requires notice and a periodic assessment, while Idaho requires no notice to homeschool. They differ on 5 of the 9 rules compared: notice of intent, hours or days per year, required subjects, testing or evaluation, and compulsory school ages.

Rules compared

9

Differences

5

Same in both

4

The rules, side by side

Rows where the two states differ are marked. Tap a state name for its full guide, deadlines, and sources.

Figures are the same verified compliance data shown on each state's page. Requirements change; confirm with your state before you rely on one.

Moving from Idaho to Washington

Once you are a Washington resident you homeschool under Washington's rules. These are the ones that change.

1. File a notice of intent with the local school district once you are a Washington resident. Idaho did not ask for one, so this is new paperwork.
2. Start logging from your first day: Washington counts 1,000 hours over 180 days a year, and Idaho set no minimum.
3. Washington's required list adds reading, writing, spelling, language, history, health, occupational education, art, and music and drops language arts compared with Idaho's. Match Washington's wording in your records.
4. Washington requires parent's choice (testing, portfolio, or evaluation), annually. Idaho had no assessment rule, so plan for it in your first year.
5. Compulsory school ages are 8-18 in Washington against 7-16 in Idaho, so check whether your youngest or oldest is now inside or outside the rule.

Moving from Washington to Idaho

Once you are a Idaho resident you homeschool under Idaho's rules. These are the ones that change.

1. There is no notice to file in Idaho. Before you leave, send Washington's district a short withdrawal note so its attendance record closes.
2. Idaho sets no hour or day minimum. Keep the log anyway; it is what you show if anyone asks, and what you build a transcript from.
3. Idaho's required list adds language arts and drops reading, writing, spelling, language, history, health, occupational education, art, and music compared with Washington's. Match Idaho's wording in your records.
4. Idaho requires no testing or evaluation. Keep Washington's past results with your records; colleges may still ask for them.
5. Compulsory school ages are 7-16 in Idaho against 8-18 in Washington, so check whether your youngest or oldest is now inside or outside the rule.

What stays the same

Idaho and Washington match on the portfolio, progress reports, ESA funding, and public school sports access. Your habits on those carry over unchanged.

Do your records transfer?

Neither Idaho nor Washington takes homeschool records from another state, and there is no transfer process between them. You keep your own: the hours or attendance log, work samples, and any grades or transcripts. Those are what the new state, and later a college, may ask to see. Homeschool Fox keeps them in one account that moves with your family.

Keep comparing

• Arizona vs Washington 6 rules differ
• California vs Idaho 5 rules differ
• California vs Washington 6 rules differ
• Idaho vs Montana 3 rules differ
• Idaho vs Oregon 4 rules differ
• Idaho vs Utah 4 rules differ
• Oregon vs Washington 4 rules differ
• Texas vs Washington 6 rules differ
• States That Require a Homeschool Notice of Intent All 36 states in one table
• States With Homeschool Hour and Day Requirements All 21 states in one table
• Required Homeschool Subjects by State All 34 states in one table
• States That Require Homeschool Testing or Evaluation All 19 states in one table