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Private schools are required to annually certify to the State Board of Education that they meet certain health and safety standards, per RCW 28A.195.010. The minimum environmental health and safety standards for both public and private school facilities are outlined in Chapter 246-366 WAC. These standards are verified by periodic inspections by local health jurisdictions (WAC 246-366-040).
Local health jurisdictions have specific requirements for these inspections, and it is expected that private schools will work with local authorities to comply with these requirements. The frequency of these inspections may vary depending on the local health jurisdiction’s requirements and capacity.
There are common misconceptions about exemptions from these inspections. Private schools are not exempt from inspections due to factors such as not owning the building, not having a kitchen or serving food, not having a chemistry lab, or not having a playground. All private schools, regardless of provided services and specific circumstances, are expected to comply with the health inspection requirements, and must keep a record of the inspections on file in the school or district administrator’s office (WAC 180-90-160).
Special Notice for Schools in King County
If your school has never been inspected or you are unable to ascertain the date of the last inspection, and you have not already done so, please submit the King County Private School Certification Inspection Request Form.
Once you have requested an inspection from King County, you should receive their confirmation email that the request form was received. Please forward your confirmation to privateschools@k12.wa.us. If an inspection date has been scheduled, please include that information in your forwarded confirmation email. This will demonstrate that the process for requesting an inspection has been initiated, and can be part of the Board’s consideration for granting approval or provisional approval.
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