Pennsylvania PA residents who wish to homeschool their children must comply with the state’s homeschooling laws. This means that they must provide their local school district superintendent with some specific documents (i.e. an evaluation report, attendance records, coursework samples, test results). As such, you will find that these requirements are a bit stricter than those of some other states.
Compulsory Attendance Age In Pennsylvania
Compulsory attendance laws generally apply to students between the age 8 to 17. Once a child reaches the compulsory age of attendance, parents must file a notarized affidavit with their local school district before they start homeschooling them. This is the parent’s official declaration of their intent to homeschool and must be turned in by August 1 of each school year. If your child has ever attended public school, they must be registered with the district as soon as homeschooling commences, even if they are not 8-years-old. (Note that if you live in the Philadelphia School District, the compulsory age has been lowered to 6-years-old).
Homeschool Portfolios For Homeschooling in PA
Parents who opt to homeschool their children in Pennsylvania must organize student portfolios for the district superintendent to review each year. In these portfolios there must be details of the student’s performance throughout the year. There also must be an evaluation report from a qualified independent party. These portfolios are due by June 30th of each year.
Records and Documents Needed for School Districts – Homeschool Penn
There are specific documents that need to be included within your pa homeschoolers – homeschool portfolio. These documents for homeschooling in PA include:
- Your attendance record must demonstrate that you have spent 180 days or 900 hours instructing your child.
- A list of the subjects that have been taught. Samples of each of these subjects are also to be included.
- A list of curriculum choices and reading materials that were used.
- You will need to hire an independent evaluator (either a certified teacher or a licensed psychologist) to create a letter of approval for you after they have reviewed your child’s portfolio.
- Standardized test scores are needed for children in third, fifth and eighth grade.
Your local school district’s superintendent will then review the contents of the portfolio and decides whether or not to approve it. Most of the time it will be approved. Sometimes thee may request more information though.
Other Home-Based Learning Options For Students In Pennsylvania
Other options for home education in Pennsylvania are also available. These options usually do not require the same paperwork that is necessary for traditional homeschoolers. They include hiring a qualified private tutor or enrolling your child in a cyber charter school. You will still need to inform your local school district of a private tutor’s credentials each year. If you decide to enroll your child in a cyber school they will be officially classified as a public school student.
In Conclusion To Homeschool Pennsylvania Laws and requirements
While some people find Pennsylvania’s homeschool requirements to be stringent, most people ever face any problems with maintaining the portfolio. As long as you with homeschooling laws you will be fine. However, if you feel that your rights are being violated, you can seek legal support from organizations such as HSLDA (the Home School Legal Defense Association).