PA Homeschool Affidavit: What to File, When to File It, and How

Most families going through the process for the first time expect the Pennsylvania homeschool affidavit to be simple. A few lines, a signature, done. Then they look up what the statute actually requires and find a document that needs to address eight distinct items — one of which involves criminal background certification and another requires formal evidence of immunization status. The good news is that each required element is well-defined, and once you understand the structure, drafting the affidavit is straightforward. The confusion mostly comes from conflating the affidavit with the portfolio, and from not knowing whether you actually need to visit a notary.

This post covers exactly what belongs in a Pennsylvania homeschool affidavit, when the deadline applies to you, and the underused unsworn declaration option that lets you skip the notary entirely.

What the Affidavit Must Contain

Pennsylvania's home education statute at 24 PA C.S. §13-1327.1 lists every required element of the affidavit. The affidavit or unsworn declaration must include all of the following:

1. Identifying information. The supervisor's name (that is the parent or legal custodian) and the student's name and age.

2. Program address and contact. The address where instruction takes place and a phone number for the supervisor.

3. English-medium instruction. A statement affirming that instruction will be conducted in English. This is a statutory requirement regardless of what other languages are used in the household.

4. Educational objectives outline. An outline of proposed educational objectives by subject area. The statute is explicit that this outline "shall not be utilized by the superintendent in determining if the home education program is out of compliance." It is a formality, not a curriculum contract. A brief list of subject areas with a sentence or two per subject is legally sufficient.

5. Immunization evidence. Evidence of current immunizations or documentation of a valid exemption. Pennsylvania recognizes medical, religious, and philosophical exemptions — the philosophical exemption is notably broad and does not require a physician's signature.

6. Health screenings. Evidence that required health and dental screenings have been completed for the applicable grade level.

7. Criminal background certification. A certification that no adult living in the home has been convicted of offenses listed in 24 PA C.S. §111(e) within the past five years. This is a self-certification — you are not submitting a criminal history report to the district.

8. Supervisor's signature with notarization or unsworn declaration. The document must be signed under oath. More on the two valid options below.

The affidavit is filed with the superintendent of the school district where you reside — not a state agency, not the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Address it to the superintendent's office at your local school district.

Notarized Affidavit vs. Unsworn Declaration: You Have a Choice

Here is a detail that many families miss: Pennsylvania law accepts either a notarized affidavit or an unsworn declaration under penalty of perjury. Both have identical legal standing under 18 Pa.C.S. §4904(c). The unsworn declaration was added specifically to remove the practical burden of scheduling a notary appointment.

The unsworn declaration does not require a notary public at all. Instead, the supervisor signs the document with the following closing language (or its substantial equivalent):

"I verify that the statements made in this document are true and correct. I understand that false statements herein are made subject to the penalties of 18 Pa. C.S. §4904, relating to unsworn falsification to authorities."

That language — signed and dated — gives the document the same legal force as a notarized affidavit. If you prefer to use a notary, that remains valid. But there is no legal requirement to do so, and choosing the unsworn declaration path saves you the time and fee.

If you want to keep things simple for year two and beyond, drafting your initial affidavit as an unsworn declaration removes one errand from the annual compliance cycle entirely.

The August 1 Deadline — and When It Does Not Apply to You

Continuing families: The August 1 deadline applies if you already have an active home education program and you are renewing for the next program year. Your new affidavit must be filed with the superintendent on or before August 1 each year.

Families withdrawing from public or private school during the year: The August 1 deadline does not apply to you. When you withdraw your child and begin a home education program, you file the affidavit immediately — before instruction begins, not by August 1 of the current year. The statute requires the affidavit to precede the start of the program, which is why filing it at the time of withdrawal is the correct timing.

This distinction trips up a lot of families. If you pull your child out of school in October and wait until the following August to file, you are operating without a filed affidavit for nearly a full school year. That creates legal exposure — Pennsylvania treats an unfiled affidavit as a failure to comply with compulsory attendance, which can escalate to truancy proceedings.

File the affidavit, then begin instruction. That order is non-negotiable.

Where and How to File

Pennsylvania does not have a centralized state-level filing system. Every affidavit goes to the superintendent of your local school district. In practice, many districts have a specific department — often the pupil services, special education, or attendance office — that handles home education filings.

Before you file, call your district's main number and ask which office accepts home education affidavits. Some districts request certified mail, some accept in-person drop-off, some use an online submission portal. Get the name of the contact person and keep a copy of everything you submit — with a delivery receipt if you use mail.

If you file by certified mail, the USPS return receipt green card is your legal proof of filing. Keep it. The date stamp on the return receipt is your documentation that you met the deadline.

What the Superintendent Can and Cannot Do With Your Affidavit

Once your affidavit is filed, the superintendent's role is limited. They cannot reject your affidavit because they disagree with your curriculum choices or because your educational objectives are less detailed than they prefer. The educational objectives outline in the affidavit is explicitly protected from that kind of scrutiny under the statute.

What the superintendent can do: verify that the affidavit is complete — that all eight required elements are present — and notify you if something is missing. They cannot demand additional documentation beyond the statutory elements. They cannot require you to appear for a meeting. They cannot ask to see your portfolio.

If a district official contacts you with requests that go beyond what the statute lists, that is overreach. Knowing what is in the affidavit — and what the statute says about it — puts you in a position to respond from a place of confidence rather than uncertainty.

Getting the Affidavit Right the First Time

The affidavit is the document that establishes your legal standing as a home education supervisor. Getting it right from the start prevents compliance disputes, protects against truancy claims, and creates a clean administrative record. Families who understand what the document must contain — and what it does not commit them to — rarely have problems with their district.

If you are starting a Pennsylvania home education program and want affidavit templates that are pre-structured for both the notarized and unsworn declaration formats, along with guidance on the educational objectives, health documentation, and criminal background certification sections, the Pennsylvania Legal Withdrawal Blueprint covers the full affidavit filing process with ready-to-use templates built around 24 PA C.S. §13-1327.1.

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