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's compulsory attendance requirements generally apply from age 6 through age 18 or graduation, although kindergarten enrollment is not compulsory. The Pennsylvania Department of Education distinguishes kindergarten enrollment from the home-education filing process; check current PDE and district guidance for when filing applies to your child's grade.

Children under compulsory school age are not subject to the home-education filing requirement. Many families begin teaching informally before compulsory school age and file when the home-education program becomes legally applicable.

Filing Your Affidavit

Initially, you must file a notarized affidavit or unsworn declaration with the local school district superintendent before the home education program begins. For subsequent school years, file by August 1. This filing 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, or 900 hours for elementary/990 hours for secondary

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: For subsequent school years, the affidavit or unsworn declaration is due by August 1.

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 annual requirement is 180 days, or 900 hours for elementary/990 hours for secondary, and is cumulative for the year rather than 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 one of:
  • a licensed clinical or school psychologist
  • a Pennsylvania-certified teacher with at least two years of experience grading the required subjects at the appropriate level
  • a nonpublic school teacher or administrator with at least two years of Pennsylvania teaching experience within the past ten years
• 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 evaluator's written certification must be submitted to the school district superintendent by June 30 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 the annual affidavit or provide the required annual evaluation can trigger a formal hearing and may lead to probation, increased reporting, or loss of the right to homeschool for up to one year.

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.

See more United States guides →