English Composition 1
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →WashingtonHomeschool
Running Start for homeschoolers: how to enrol
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Running Start for homeschoolers starts with eligibility: RCW 28A.600.310 lets students in home-based instruction enrol once they are eligible for 11th or 12th grade. The family contacts the local district and the college's Running Start office, keeps the declaration of intent and annual assessment on file, and pays the college's mandatory fees instead of tuition.
Who can enrol: the wording in RCW 28A.600.310
The statute covers 11th and 12th grade students, and it names students receiving home-based instruction under chapter 28A.200 RCW. Students at approved private schools are also covered. A rising 11th grader may take up to 10 quarter credits, or the semester equivalent, in the summer before 11th grade.
Grade level for a home-based student is something the parent records. Keep a clear record of the grade you are reporting so the district and the college see the same thing.
The home-based records to have ready
RCW 28A.200.010 sets two duties that matter for enrolment. The parent files a declaration of intent with the superintendent of the district by September 15 or within two weeks of the start of a term. The parent also arranges an annual standardized test or a written assessment of progress by a certificated person.
- The current year's declaration of intent, as filed with the district.
- The most recent annual test score or written assessment.
- A home transcript listing high school courses and grades so far.
- Immunization records, which the statute says go to any school the child transfers to.
Step by step: from first call to first quarter
Every college and district runs its own forms and dates, so treat this as the order of questions rather than a fixed form list.
- Call the Running Start office at the college you want and ask how home-based students apply.
- Ask the local district which form it signs for home-based students and when.
- Take the college's placement steps for English and maths, if it uses them.
- Agree the classes for the first quarter with the college advisor.
- Ask for the list of mandatory fees and book costs before the quarter starts.
What Running Start pays for and what the family pays
The statute says Running Start students pay the college's mandatory fees in lieu of tuition. Colleges may also charge a fee of up to 10 percent of tuition and fees in some cases. Books, a laptop and transport are on the family.
| Cost | Who pays |
|---|---|
| Tuition for eligible Running Start credits | Waived under RCW 28A.600.310 |
| Mandatory college fees | The family |
| Books and course materials | The family |
| Courses taken before 11th grade eligibility | The family |
Getting ready in 9th and 10th grade
Families who want a smooth first quarter often use 9th and 10th grade for one or two college-level courses at home, such as English Composition 1 or College Algebra. The parent records them as high school credit. If the family also wants college credit for that work, it is recorded via a college transcript, and the college decides. Ask the college in writing before you rely on it.
The full rule and the cost comparison are on the page Before Running Start: college-level courses for Washington 9th and 10th graders.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask the college your student plans to attend in writing how it treats ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Do homeschoolers have to enrol in a public school to do Running Start?
The statute lists students in home-based instruction among those who may enrol, and it also mentions home-based students who enrol in a public high school only to take college courses. How your district handles the paperwork varies, so ask the district's Running Start contact which form it signs for home-based students.
When should a homeschool family start the Running Start process?
Start in the spring of 10th grade. That leaves time to ask the college about placement steps, gather the declaration of intent and annual assessment, and look at the summer option of up to 10 quarter credits before 11th grade.
Can a homeschooled student take Running Start classes online?
Many Washington colleges offer online and hybrid classes, and Running Start students register for the college's own sections. Which classes are open, and in what format, is set by each college, so ask the Running Start office for the current list.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
College Algebra
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
US History 1
Self-paced online US History 1 course (HIST 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
One payment covers self-paced college-level courses for a home-based student in 9th or 10th grade.
Sources
- RCW 28A.600.310: Running start program, eligibility, fees (official)Eleventh and 12th grade students, including students receiving home-based instruction under chapter 28A.200 RCW, may enrol; students pay mandatory fees in lieu of tuition; summer limit of 10 quarter credits for rising 11th graders (history 2024 c 159 s 2). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- RCW 28A.200.010: Home-based instruction, duties of parents (official)Parents file a declaration of intent by September 15 or within two weeks of the start of a term, and arrange an annual standardized test or a written assessment by a certificated person. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.