ALE vs. HBI in Washington: Choosing Between Alternative Learning Experience and Home-Based Instruction

Washington families researching home education quickly run into two sets of terminology that sound similar but describe fundamentally different legal arrangements. Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) programs — also called Parent Partnership Programs — and Home-Based Instruction (HBI) are both forms of education where a child learns primarily at home. But they are governed by entirely different laws, carry different obligations, and produce different outcomes.

Choosing between them isn't just a paperwork question. It determines who controls your child's education, who is legally responsible for compliance, what curriculum you can use, and what happens at the end of the year.

The Core Distinction

ALE / Parent Partnership Programs are public school programs. Your child is enrolled in a public school that operates an alternative learning program. The school — not you — holds the legal responsibility for the child's education. The program is funded by the state through the school's enrollment count. A certificated teacher assigned by the program is responsible for supervision, curriculum approval, and annual assessment. You pay nothing.

Home-Based Instruction (HBI) is private education. Your child is legally exempt from compulsory attendance because you are providing home-based instruction under RCW 28A.225.010. You are the school. You make the curriculum decisions. You are responsible for compliance. You pay for everything. The state does not fund it.

OSPI Bulletin 025-23 (issued in 2023) explicitly clarified this distinction because the lines had become blurred over years of practice. The bulletin makes clear: ALE students are public school students. HBI students are not.

How ALE Programs Work

Washington has dozens of ALE programs operated by individual school districts and education service districts. Some well-known examples include Tacoma's APEX program, Northshore's Family Academy, and numerous district-run parent partnership programs across the state.

Under an ALE:

• Your child is enrolled in the public school district's alternative program
• A certificated teacher meets with the family regularly (the law requires "regular interaction" between the certificated teacher and the student)
• The teacher approves the Learning Plan (the ALE equivalent of an IEP or course plan)
• The school provides curriculum materials, access to library resources, and sometimes enrichment activities
• Your child's annual assessment is handled by the program
• Your child may be eligible to participate in school sports, activities, and Running Start
• The teacher maintains the compliance records — not you

The state funds ALE enrollment at a lower per-student rate than traditional enrollment, which is why some districts limit program size. Slots in popular parent partnership programs can fill quickly; some have waitlists.

The tradeoff: You give up curriculum autonomy. The certificated teacher must approve your Learning Plan, and the curriculum must be aligned with state standards. If you want to use a religious curriculum, unschool without a formal plan, or take an approach the teacher won't approve, ALE may not accommodate you. The teacher has genuine supervisory authority over what's being taught.

How HBI Works

Under HBI, you withdraw from (or never enroll in) public school. You file a Declaration of Intent with your local school district superintendent by September 15 each year. You instruct your child in Washington's 11 mandated subjects. You arrange an annual assessment — either a standardized test or a certified teacher portfolio review. You keep records. You pay for everything.

The district receives your DOI and has no further involvement in your child's education unless truancy concerns arise. No teacher approves your curriculum. No school supervises your instruction. You are the principal of a private school with one student.

The tradeoff: You bear the entire compliance burden. The annual assessment, the 11-subject documentation, the qualification requirement (you must hold 45 credit hours, a bachelor's degree, or a teaching certificate — or use district-approved curriculum) — all of that is on you. Generic national homeschool planners don't map to Washington's specific requirements, so you either build your own documentation system or find one that does.

Comparing the Two Side by Side

Which Path Is Right for Your Family?

Most families who choose ALE want the structure, the oversight, and the free curriculum resources — and are comfortable with a teacher approving their educational approach. ALE works well for families that want a collaborative relationship with a school, need resources they can't afford independently, or want a clean trail of official records for future college applications.

Most families who choose HBI want genuine educational freedom — the ability to use Charlotte Mason, classical education, religious curriculum, unschooling, or any other approach without institutional approval. HBI also works better for families who have strong opinions about what their child should be learning and don't want a certificated teacher second-guessing those choices.

The families who struggle are those who choose HBI for the freedom but haven't prepared for the compliance burden. When spring arrives and the annual assessment is due, an HBI family that hasn't kept records all year faces a scramble. That scramble is the most common pain point in Washington's homeschool community.

If you're choosing HBI, getting your documentation system in place before you start — not in April when the portfolio review is due — is the single biggest factor in how smooth the year goes. The Washington Portfolio & Assessment Templates at /us/washington/portfolio/ are built specifically for HBI families navigating the 11-subject requirement and annual assessment.

One Trap to Avoid

Some families enroll in an ALE and then operate as though they're doing HBI — they ignore the Learning Plan process, don't respond to the teacher's requests, and use whatever curriculum they want. This puts them in a legal gray zone. They're enrolled as public school students (so they haven't filed a DOI or arranged their own assessment), but they're not complying with the ALE's requirements. This can trigger truancy concerns because the school is responsible for their attendance and progress.

The solution is simple: if you don't want the ALE's oversight, choose HBI. File the DOI, handle your own compliance, and enjoy the freedom you chose.

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