The article was swept up by the news reader because the origin of the main subject began by counseling homeschooling parents. I hadn’t previously seen any mention of the change in Washington law (whenever it occurred).
The overall story is the saga of the Christa McAuliffe Academy’s journey from a homeschooling advisory service to being a part of Achieve Online, Inc., a California K-12 public school.
What happened at Christa McAuliffe Academy?, 23 June 2008, Yakima Herald-Republic, Yakima, Washington
The school’s split into two tracks came after the state Legislature passed a law allowing for the expansion of digital learning programs. Requiring that virtual schools link with an existing school district, the law allotted funding from $4,600 to $4,800 per online student to the supervising school district. The district then passed on the funds to the online school, minus administrative fees of 15 percent to 20 percent.