Pennsylvania

The parent/supervisor (the parent or in charge of the instruction) must submit yearly affidavits to the local superintendent by no later than August 1st of each school year. The first year of homeschooling, the affidavit need only be submitted prior to beginning to homeschool. The affidavit must contain the name of the parent/supervisor; the name and age of each child; the address and telephone number, assurance that subjects will be taught in English; an outline of proposed objectives by subject area; immunization records; medical records; assurance that the home education program will comply with the law; and a certification signed by the parent/supervisor that all adults living in the home and persons having legal custody of a child or children in a home education program have not been convicted of certain criminal within the last five years. See 24 Pa. Stat. § 13-1327.1(b).

The parent/supervisor must have a high school diploma or the equivalent. See  The supervisor and other adults living in the home or having custody over the child must not have been convicted of certain crimes in the past five years. These offenses include homicide, aggravated assault, stalking, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, rape, statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, indecent exposure, incest, concealing the death of a child, endangering the welfare of children, dealing in infant children, prostitution, obscene and other sexual materials and performances, the corruption of minors, sexual abuse of children, and drug use.  See 24 Pa. Stat. § 13-1327.1(b) and 24 Pa. Stat. § 1-111(e). 

At the elementary level, 180 days or 900 hours; at the secondary level, 180 days or 990 hours. See 24 Pa. Stat. § 13-1327.1(c). Instruction must be in English.

What subjects must be covered depend on the student’s grade level. At the elementary level: English, to include spelling, reading, and writing; arithmetic, science, geography, history of the United States and Pennsylvania; civics; safety education, including regular and continues instruction in the dangers and prevention of fires; health and physiology; physical education; music; and art. At the secondary level: English, to include language, literature, speech, and composition; science; geography; social studies, to include civics, world history, history of the United States and Pennsylvania; mathematics, to include general mathematics, algebra, and geometry; art; music; physical education; health; and safety education, including regular and continuous instruction in the dangers and prevention of fires. At the discretion of the parent/supervisor, subjects at the secondary level may include economics; biology; chemistry; foreign languages; trigonometry; or other age-appropriate courses. See 24 Pa. Stat. § 13-1327.1(c). In order to graduate from a home education program, the following courses are the minimum requirements: four years of English; three years of mathematics; three years of science; three years of social studies; two years of arts and humanities. See 24 Pa. Stat. § 13-1327.1(d).

Parents must maintain a portfolio of records and materials, consisting of (1) a “log, made contemporaneously with the instruction, which designates by title the reading materials used, samples of any writings, worksheets, workbooks or creative materials used or developed by the student” and (2) the results of nationally normed standardized achievement tests (chosen from a list maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Education) in mathematics and reading/language arts (or the results of Statewide tests) administered in grades three, five, and eight by a party other than a parent or guardian. See 24 Pa. Stat. § 13-1327.1(e)(1). Parents must also maintain “an annual written evaluation of the student’s educational progress” as prescribed below. See 24 Pa. Stat. § 13-1327.1(e)(2)

(1) In grades 3, 5, and 8, students must take a nationally normed standardized achievement test (chosen from a list maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Education) in mathematics and reading/language arts (or the results of Statewide tests) administered by a party other than a parent or guardian. The results must be kept with the student’s portfolio. See 24 Pa. Stat. § 13-1327.1(e)(1). (2) A “written evaluation of the student’s educational progress” must be created each year “based on an interview of the child and a review of the portfolio” and must “certify that an appropriate education is occurring.” The evaluation must be conducted by (a) a licensed clinical or school psychologist or (b) a state certified teacher (c) a nonpublic school teacher or administrator with “at least two years of teaching experience in a Pennsylvania public or nonpublic school within the last ten years” or (d) a person with other qualifications at the request of the parent/supervisor and with prior consent by the superintendent. See 24 Pa. Stat. § 13-1327.1(e)(2). A teacher or administrator evaluating a portfolio at the elementary level must have at least two years of experience evaluating any of the core subjects required at that level; a teacher or administrator evaluating a portfolio at the secondary level must have at least two years of experience evaluating any of the subjects required or recommended at that level. See 24 Pa. Stat. § 13-1327.1(e)(1)(i-ii). (3) By June 30th at the end of each school year, the evaluator’s certification that an appropriate education is occurring (but not the portfolio) must be provided to the local school district.

If the evaluator’s certification is not submitted by June 30th as required, the superintendent must send a letter to the supervisor (i.e. the parent) requesting that the certification be provided within 10 days. If the supervisor fails to meet that deadline, the superintendent must schedule a hearing. If the hearing examiner determines the education is not appropriate, the child must be enrolled in school, unless the parent appeals the decision. Further, if at any time the superintendent has a reasonable belief that the appropriate education is not taking place, or that the homeschool is otherwise out of compliance, the superintendent may send a letter to the supervisor requesting that an evaluation be conducted, and that the evaluator’s certification be submitted within 30 days. See 24 Pa. Stat. § 13-1327.1(h.1, i.1, j.1). If the required certification is not provided, a hearing shall take place before an impartial hearing examiner, which may result in the child being required to attend school. See 24 Pa. Stat. § 13-1327.1(k, l, m)

Pennsylvania law prohibits home education programs from being considered a nonpublic school. See 24 Pa. Stat. § 13-1327.1(b).