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
What to study before 11th grade
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
What to study before 11th grade in Washington: writing and maths first, because Running Start opens in 11th grade under RCW 28A.600.310 and colleges place students by English and maths readiness. A home-based 9th or 10th grader can take English Composition 1 and College Algebra at home, then add history or pre-calculus, and ask the chosen college in writing how it treats that credit.
Why writing and maths come first
Running Start students sit in ordinary college classes. The two skills that decide how the first quarter goes are academic writing and algebra. A student who has already written research papers and solved college algebra problems starts Running Start with fewer surprises.
These two subjects also appear in nearly every degree plan, so the work stays useful whatever the student studies later.
Writing and algebra are also the subjects where a home-based student can show progress most clearly on the annual assessment that RCW 28A.200.010 requires, which keeps the yearly record simple.
A two-year plan for 9th and 10th grade
One course at a time suits most 14 and 15 year olds. The parent records each finished course on the home transcript as high school credit.
| Term | Course | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 9th grade, first half | English Composition 1 | Academic writing for every later class |
| 9th grade, second half | College Algebra | The maths base for statistics and pre-calculus |
| 10th grade, first half | US History 1 or English Composition 2 | A social studies credit or research writing |
| 10th grade, second half | Pre-Calculus or US History 2 | STEM track or humanities track |
| Summer before 11th grade | Running Start summer, up to 10 quarter credits | Only if the college offers it |
What not to rush
Some subjects are better left for the college itself.
The aim of 9th and 10th grade is readiness, not speed. A student who finishes two or three college-level courses at home with good grades, and who has learned to manage deadlines without a teacher in the room, is well placed for Running Start. A student who takes on too much too early can lose confidence before the free-tuition years even begin. Let the student's pace, not a credit target, decide when to add the next course.
- Lab sciences, if the student may study nursing or science: colleges often want those labs taken with them.
- Upper-level courses in the intended major, which the college will want to teach.
- More than one or two courses at once before the student is ready for the pace.
How the credit is recorded
On the high school side, the parent decides under home-based instruction and writes the course on the home transcript. On the college side, credit appears via a college transcript. NCCRS and ACE recommendations help a college review the work, but the college decides. TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; for a Washington community or technical college, ask that college in writing.
Questions to ask before you start
Send these to the college your student plans to attend in 11th grade, and keep the reply.
- Do you review ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit for students who later enrol through Running Start?
- Which of these courses would you review: English Composition 1, College Algebra, US History 1?
- What placement steps do Running Start students take in English and maths?
- Do you offer Running Start classes in the summer before 11th grade?
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
Is 9th grade too early for a college-level course?
Not for every student. A motivated 14 year old who reads well can manage one self-paced course, such as English Composition 1. Start with one course, watch how the student copes with the pace, and add the next only when the first is going well.
Should my child take pre-calculus before Running Start?
If the student is heading for science, engineering or computing, pre-calculus in 10th grade helps them reach calculus in Running Start. Students on a humanities path can take US History or a second writing course instead.
Does a course taken at home count toward high school graduation in Washington?
Under home-based instruction the parent decides what counts and records it on the home transcript. Keep course names, dates and grades. The annual test or written assessment required by RCW 28A.200.010 still applies each year.
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 →
Pre-Calculus
Self-paced online Pre-Calculus course (MATH 115). 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.