Pennsylvania Home Education Law
Everyone is encouraged to read Section 1327.1 and 1327 of the Pennsylvania School Code. The links are below.
The Pennsylvania Home Education Law: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/uconsCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&yr=1949&sessInd=0&smthLwInd=0&act=14&chpt=13&sctn=27&subsctn=1
Pennsylvania Compulsory Attendance: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/uconsCheck.cfm?
txtType=HTM&yr=1949&sessInd=0&smthLwInd=0&act=14&chpt=13&sctn=27&subsctn=0
Video about the Home Education Law in Pennsylvania: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPvnggr4k_8
What must I do to begin homeschooling in Pennsylvania?
HB 1615 was passed at the end of June 2019 changing compulsory school age to 6-18 .
This is a link to the document that was sent as a clarification from the PDE to school district superintendents with regard to the compulsory age change. https://www.psba.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/School-Code-2019-and-Other-FAQ-20190813-ADA-Compliant.pdf The last question on the first page indicates that if your child turns 6 after September 1 you can wait until the next school year to file for that child. Question 5 on page two has inaccurate information because according to the home education law you do not need to file until you begin homeschooling and then by August 1 in subsequent years.
Prior to the commencement of a home education program (when you first begin) and annually thereafter by Aug 1, the supervisor must submit a notarized affidavit or an unsworn declaration to the Superintendent of the school district in accordance with Section 1327.1(b)(1) and 1327(d).
In addition to the notarized affidavit or unsworn declaration, the parent, guardian or legal custodian must attach:
an outline of proposed education objectives by subject area,
evidence (records or a letter from the physician) that the child or children have been immunized as required by School Code Sec. 1303(a) or an immunization exemption and
evidence (records or a letter from the physician) that the child or children have received medical services required for students of the child’s or children’s age or grade level in Article XIV, or a medical exemption for these requirements.
Regulation found in 22 Pa. Code §11.31a states that school district approval is not required to commence a home education program when all necessary paperwork has been filed. https://www.education.pa.gov/Policy-Funding/BECS/Purdons/Pages/HomeEducationProgram.aspx
The above information comes from the Pennsylvania Department of Education web site.
What must I do during the school year?
Keep a contemporaneous log - “A log, made contemporaneously with the instruction, which designates by title the reading material used”
– Put simply: a listing of the titles of reading materials used and samples of work should be included as part of the portfolio.
Keep track of EITHER the number of hours spent schooling (900 hours elementary - 990 hours secondary) OR the days spent in schooling (Must meet 180 days). You are required to complete either the hours requirement OR the days requirement, not both.
In grades 3, 5, and 8 a standardized test (from the list provided below or the PSSA) must be administered and the results must be included with the portfolio.
What must I do at the end of the school year, by June 30?
Have a qualified evaluator of your choice give written substantiation which states that an appropriate education is occurring. (Act 169 says: Appropriate education shall mean a program consisting of instruction in the required subjects for the time required in this act and in which the student demonstrates sustained progress in the overall program.)
This sums up what is needed for the evaluation:
A log consisting of reading materials used made contemporaneously with instruction
Samples of work from the major subjects studied (It is often suggested to include something from the beginning, middle, and end of the year in order to show sustained progress.)
Test results for your third, fifth or eighth grader. The evaluator will need to see the results.
The evaluator must look over the portfolio and interview the child.
Anyone who has a PA teaching certificate and at least two years experience in grading the subjects listed in the law at the appropriate level, elementary level (grades 1-6) and/or the secondary level (grades 7-12) can be an evaluator for all school districts in Pennsylvania. There are other specifications in the law that can be met to be an evaluator. It is the supervisor's responsibility to make sure the evaluator meets the requirements in the law.
See 1327.1 e1i and ii (Parents cannot evaluate their own children.)
"The evaluation shall also be based on an interview of the child and a review of the portfolio required in clause (1) and shall certify whether or not an appropriate education is occurring."
Under Act 196 of 2014, you are only required to submit the evaluator’s report to the superintendent of your school district by June 30. This is a change from the previous law, which required you to also submit your portfolio and your testing scores from 3rd, 5th, and 8th grade.
List of approved standardized tests required in grades 3, 5, and 8:
California Achievement Test
Comprehensive Testing Program (CTPIV)
Iowa Test of Basic Skills
Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)
Metropolitan Achievement Test
Peabody Achievement Individual Test – Revised Version
Stanford Achievement Test
Terra Nova
Woodcock-Johnson Revised Tests of Achievement III
Woodcock-Johnson IV
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test III (WIAT-III)
List taken from: https://www.education.pa.gov/Policy-Funding/BECS/Purdons/Pages/HomeEducationProgram.aspx
A few test providers:
http://www.shopchristianliberty.com/testing-service/
https://www.academicexcellence.com/
Parents are not permitted to test their own children according to the law. Online tests do not need to be administered by someone else.
This is the official diploma that came with the law change in 2014. Print it and take it to the 12th grade evaluation to be signed by the evaluator.
Pennsylvania Department of Education Homeschool Diploma to print: http://www.education.pa.gov/Documents/K-12/Home%20Education%20and%20Private%20Tutoring/Home%20Education%20Diploma%20and%20Definitions.pdf