Home »
Washington School Choice
Explore Washington school choice: magnet schools, CTE, open enrollment, and charter schools—no vouchers, ESAs, or private tuition funding.
Program Types & Funding Mechanism
- Public School Options
- Charter Schools: Authorized in 2012, Washington’s charter school law created an independent system overseen by a statewide commission. However, as of 2021, no new schools have been approved or funded due to legislative inaction.
- Open Enrollment: Washington enforces both intra- and inter-district open enrollment, allowing students to attend public schools outside their home district, depending on space and district guidelines.
- Magnet Schools: District-operated themed public schools—such as STEM or arts magnet programs—serve students from broader geographic areas.
- Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers: Regional CTE centers receive public funding to offer vocational and technical training to high school students.
- Homeschooling: Parents may legally homeschool under state law; however, they receive no public funding or state-supported resources.
- Private School Funding
Washington does not provide public funding for private school tuition. The state has not enacted vouchers, ESAs, or tax-credit scholarship programs; recent ESA and voucher bills failed to advance.
Legislative & Historical Context
Washington authorized charter schools in 2012, but the authorizing body has not approved any new charters since 2015—effectively halting school openings. In 2021, the legislature allowed the commission’s charter approval authority to lapse. The state passed mandatory open enrollment in the early 2000s to expand public-school access. Despite attempts to expand school choice in Washington in recent years to introduce tax-credit scholarships and ESAs (including proposed bills in 2021), none advanced to enactment, and private school choice remains a privately funded option.