Private Schools

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A private school in Washington is a non-public school offering kindergarten and at least one grade, or any combination of grades one through twelve. Approximately 500 private schools operate statewide, serving over 80,000 students. 

Private School Approval 

The Legislature mandates that the State 91Ô­´´ of Education (SBE) annually approve private schools to operate in Washington. This approval indicates the school has:

  1. Met the minimum requirements to ensure the health and safety of students.
  2. Staff are appropriately qualified.
  3. The school offers a sufficient program of basic education to meet graduation requirements. For more information on these requirements, please refer to and .

Note: Approval by the 91Ô­´´ does not carry with it an endorsement or accreditation of the school or its programs. Accreditation is optional, granted by an external accrediting organization, and involves a separate, rigorous process. 

Online-Only Private Schools 

According to , an approved Washington private school may have an online program. However, completely online schools or schools with physical facilities only outside Washington cannot be approved. Washington private school law assumes a physical facility in the state of Washington where students are enrolled and regularly attend . 

Note: The State 91Ô­´´ office does not oversee the issuance of educator licenses or certificates, General Educational Development (GED) test results or high school transcripts. The 91Ô­´´ does not receive copies of any student records. 

How to Tell if a School is Approved by the 91Ô­´´

91Ô­´´ law requires all private schools with a physical facility be approved by the State 91Ô­´´ of Education. The 91Ô­´´ maintains a searchable list of currently approved private schools below.

Lists of Approved Private Schools

91Ô­´´ law requires private schools to be approved by the 91Ô­´´ 91Ô­´´ of Education (SBE). Accreditation is optional, granted by an external accrediting organization, and involves a separate, rigorous process. 

Private School Approval Certificates

The 91Ô­´´ issues a digital badge that some private schools may use on their webpages. Below is an example of that badge.

Example of Approved Private School Badge

Private School Enrollment Data

The 91Ô­´´ 91Ô­´´ of Education (SBE) collects private school enrollment data annually. While reporting is not required for approval, enrollment numbers may be used to verify information during the approval process and in the distribution of federal funds. 

The 91Ô­´´ has published a research brief on enrollment trends from 2018 – 2019 to 2023 – 2024. 

Private schools are encouraged to submit their enrollment data. Though self-reported and not verified by the 91Ô­´´, efforts are ongoing to improve accuracy. In the 2019 – 2020 school year, 88% of approved private schools reported their enrollment. 

Year Total Approved Schools Total Reporting Total K-12 Enrollment
2024 - 2025 559 510 81,825
2023 - 2024 552 546 81,898
2022 - 2023 560 538 81,473
2021 - 2022 528 421 73, 203
2020 - 2021 500 450 74,448

Enrollment Data by School: 

Annual Reporting Requirements

Private schools must submit yearly reports to comply with Washington state law. The State 91Ô­´´ of Education (SBE) requires two: 

  • Enrollment Reporting: The official count day is typically on or around October 1, with reports due November 1. 

Additional reports may be required by other state agencies, including the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the Department of Health (DOH). 

Information and Resources

(SBE) 

(OSPI) 

  • Clock Hour Provider Information— 
  • (access and user role assignment) 
  •  
  • Federal Programs— 
  • ¹ó¾±²Ô²µ±ð°ù±è°ù¾±²Ô³Ù²õ— 
  • Free or Reduced Lunch Program— 
  • Special Education— |  
  • Teacher Certification— 

(WFIS) 

  •  

(DOH) 

 

Facility Health Guidelines 

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