Pennsylvania Homeschool Requirements: What You Must Do Each Year

Pennsylvania has some of the most detailed homeschool requirements in the country. Unlike low-regulation states that require little more than a notification letter, PA has specific documentation requirements, mandatory subjects, and an annual portfolio review process that families must navigate every year. Getting these details right from the start saves significant stress.

This is a practical overview of what Pennsylvania law actually requires. For legal advice specific to your situation, consult HSLDA or a Pennsylvania education attorney.

Who Can Homeschool in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania law (24 P.S. § 13-1327.1) permits parents or guardians to homeschool their own children. The supervisor of a home education program must:

• Be the parent or legal guardian of the student
• Have a high school diploma or equivalent (GED counts)

Pennsylvania does not require homeschool supervisors to hold a teaching certificate, which is a more permissive standard than some other regulations-heavy states. You are homeschooling your own child — not operating as a teacher for other families' children — which removes that requirement.

When to Start

Pennsylvania compulsory school age begins at age 8. Children must be enrolled in school (or a home education program) by the fall of the school year in which they turn 8.

Children ages 6 and 7 are not yet under compulsory school age, which means you are not legally required to file for those years. Many families begin homeschooling informally before age 8 without filing, and file for the first time the year the child turns 8.

Filing Your Affidavit

Each school year, you must file a notarized affidavit with the local school district superintendent before homeschooling begins (or at the start of each new school year). This affidavit must include:

• The name and age of each child being homeschooled
• The address of the home education program
• Confirmation that you (the supervisor) have a high school diploma or GED
• A declaration that instruction will occur for a minimum of 180 days per year

The affidavit is filed with the superintendent of the school district where you reside — not a state agency. Find your district's contact information on the Pennsylvania Department of Education website.

Important: The affidavit must be filed annually, at the start of each school year.

Required Subjects by Grade Level

Pennsylvania law specifies which subjects must be covered at each level.

Elementary (grades 1–6) must include: - English (reading, writing, spelling, composition) - Arithmetic - Science - Geography - History of the United States and Pennsylvania - Civics - Health and physiology - Physical education - Music - Art

Secondary (grades 7–12) must include: - English language arts (reading, writing, literature) - Mathematics - Science - Geography - History of the United States and Pennsylvania - Civics - Health and physiology - Physical education - Art and humanities (music, art, or other)

Note that the secondary list adds "art and humanities" as a requirement. At the high school level, this is generally satisfied by any arts elective — music lessons, visual art, theater, etc.

PA law does not specify how many hours to spend on each subject. The 180-day instruction requirement is cumulative for the year, not day-by-day by subject.

The Portfolio Requirement

This is what makes Pennsylvania distinctive. At the end of each school year, you must submit a portfolio for each child to a Pennsylvania-certified evaluator for review.

The portfolio must include: - A log or diary documenting instruction (dates and subjects covered) - Samples of the child's work from the year (written work, projects, tests, etc.) - Standardized test results for grades 3, 5, and 8 only (other grades do not require testing)

The evaluator: - Must be a Pennsylvania-certified teacher or a licensed psychologist - Reviews the portfolio and issues a written certification that the child's education is "satisfactory" - The certification goes to the school district, not back to you (though many evaluators provide you a copy)

Finding an evaluator: The Pennsylvania Home Education Network (PHEN) maintains a list of evaluators at homeednetwork.org. Many evaluators are homeschool parents themselves who hold PA certification. Evaluator fees typically run $25–$100, depending on the individual.

Timing: The evaluation must occur between June 1 and August 1 following the school year.

Required Testing (Grades 3, 5, and 8 Only)

Pennsylvania requires standardized testing in specific years — not every year. The tested grades are 3, 5, and 8.

Any nationally normed standardized test is acceptable — you don't have to use a Pennsylvania-specific test. Commonly used tests include: - Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) - Stanford Achievement Test (SAT-10) - California Achievement Test (CAT) - Terra Nova

Test results must be included in the portfolio for the evaluation year. They do not need to meet a minimum score — the law requires completion, not a particular performance level.

You can order these tests through providers like Seton Testing Services, BJU Press Testing, or CAT/Assessment Services without going through the school district.

What Happens If You Don't Comply

Failure to file your annual affidavit or submit your portfolio for evaluation can result in your children being considered truant and subject to the public school's compulsory attendance enforcement. This can escalate to court proceedings.

Pennsylvania's requirements are real and enforced. Filing correctly from the start is far simpler than addressing a truancy complaint.

Choosing Curriculum Under PA Requirements

Because Pennsylvania requires specific subject coverage (particularly history of Pennsylvania, civics, health, and physical education), you'll want to verify that your chosen curriculum addresses each required subject — or plan how you'll supplement to cover gaps.

Many popular curricula cover the core academics well but don't include Pennsylvania-specific history or dedicated health instruction. These are easy to supplement, but worth checking before your first evaluation.

The US Curriculum Matching Matrix helps identify which programs cover which subjects and at what depth — so you can cross-check Pennsylvania's required subjects against your curriculum before the school year begins.