While Pennsylvania recognizes the right of families to homeschool, the state also has a significant number of laws regulating the practice. It's one of three states that require standardized testing for homeschooling students.
Parents have the right to make educational choices for their children. When someone interferes with that right, the Education Law Team at the LLF Law Firm can help. Call us at 888-535-3686 or fill out an online form.
Challenges with Homeschooling
Nationwide, one difficulty for homeschooling families is the misperceptions that exist about this educational choice. Assumptions that homeschooling isn't a “real” school or that it will make children antisocial can damage families' access to services and support. Critics argue the practice isn't sufficiently regulated or that non-traditional educational options lead to child neglect.
Research on homeschooling, however, indicates that homeschooling is like any other educational opportunity. What a family and student put into the process is what matters.
Attending public school doesn't guarantee educational success. In 2023, 1 in 4 third graders in Pennsylvania were below basic in math, and over 14 percent were below basic in reading. Approximately 47 percent of eighth graders were below basic in math.
Public education doesn't guarantee educational success or social skills. Neither does homeschooling mean children aren't receiving the best possible education or lagging in their interpersonal skills. One researcher found that homeschooled children had fewer behavioral problems than students enrolled in traditional schools.
Homeschooling families should be familiar with the misunderstandings people and educators may have about the practice. Such attitudes can influence how they treat homeschooling families and may result in singling out homeschooling families or treating them differently. In some cases, this different treatment can rise to the level of violating a family's right to homeschool.
Homeschooling Requirements in Pennsylvania
One of the challenges with homeschooling in Pennsylvania is that the state has several requirements. These more detailed laws and accompanying requirements can increase the difficulty of homeschooling. There are more places for parents or guardians to make mistakes. Schools may not fully understand the requirements or use these requirements to interfere with a family's right to homeschool.
Homeschool Statute
Parents must have at least a high school diploma to choose to homeschool their children. An equivalent degree, such as a GED or foreign diploma, will also satisfy this requirement.
Private Tutors
Parents and guardians may choose to hire a private tutor to educate their children. Pennsylvania requires that all tutors are certified to teach in the state and not disqualified from working in a public school.
A tutor teaches one or more children within a single family and provides the majority of instruction to the children. They receive a fee or other compensation for their services.
Individuals who are certified to teach in other states don't qualify as private tutors. Parents or guardians are also exempt from these requirements.
Affidavit
The first step to homeschooling is an affidavit, notarized and submitted to your local school district. These must be submitted annually by August 1. The exception is the first year you choose to homeschool. For the first year, families may choose to submit the affidavit at any point during the year.
An affidavit should include basic information such as names and contact information. It must also include:
- A statement that instruction will occur in English
- An outline for each proposed subject area
- Immunization and medical records
One quirk is that Pennsylvania doesn't allow homeschooling when any adult has been convicted of certain felonies in the past five years. All adults are treated as school employees for the purposes of homeschooling and must meet the same criminal background check requirements as school employees.
Mandatory Courses
Pennsylvania lists the mandatory subjects that must be taught. These will vary depending on a child's age and grade level. In general, homeschooled students must meet the same curriculum requirements as students enrolled in public schools.
This includes requirements for high school graduation. High school students must complete four years of English and at least three years of math to qualify for graduation in Pennsylvania.
A school district or other individual or organization cannot increase these requirements. They may also not require a homeschooling student to meet higher qualifications than a public school student.
Attendance Requirements
Pennsylvania requires that homeschooled students meet the state's attendance requirements. This is at least 900 hours of instruction for elementary-aged students and 990 hours of instruction for older students. While families may choose to go over these required hours, school districts cannot require more hours.
Portfolio and Assessment
Families must keep a portfolio, which is essentially a record of attendance and material covered. A qualified home education evaluator will review this portfolio as part of an end-of-the-year assessment. The purpose of this assessment is to ensure a student is making satisfactory progress. These evaluations must be submitted to your local school district by June 30.
Pennsylvania also requires standardized testing in Grades 3, 6, and 8. The state does give families the ability to choose their preferred standardized test. If families choose the statewide test option, a student can take it at their local school and at no cost.
Families may select an alternative test to the statewide test. These alternatives must be approved by Pennsylvania. Parents or guardians don't have to give a reason for selecting an alternative test but will be responsible for any costs.
Homeschooling Co-ops
Recognizing the benefit of support networks, Pennsylvania allows families to join homeschooling co-ops. Families may join co-ops to pool resources and for instruction. The state does require that co-op volunteers pass background checks and maintain resources about these organizations. School districts cannot ban or limit the use of co-ops as part of the homeschooling experience.
School District Resources
Pennsylvania allows homeschooling families to request grade-level materials from their local school district. Districts will lend these resources, including textbooks and curricula.
Extracurricular Activities
Pennsylvania allows homeschooled students to participate in a public school's extracurricular activities. This includes activities that have an academic component, such as orchestra, and homeschooling students may join a school for up to 25 percent of any school day.
Non-enrolled students must meet the same eligibility requirements as enrolled students to participate in these activities. If there's an academic component, the school will provide a grade to a homeschooled student's education supervisor.
Families are responsible for transporting a homeschooled student to and from activities. The one exception is that a homeschooled student may use district transportation when a bus would already be operating at that time and space is available. In other words, if a homeschooled student attends a band practice that's during the last period of a school day and the bus route closest to their house isn't full, they may take the bus.
School boards are responsible for implementing each district's policy about homeschooling students participating in extracurricular activities. Two school districts provide examples of what to expect from a school district's policy on homeschooled students and extracurricular activities.
Examples: Wyomissing and Beaver Area School Districts
Both the Wyomissing Area School District and the Beaver Area School District have adopted similar policies regarding homeschooled students participating in the district's extracurricular activities. Some details of these policies:
- Wyomissing adds JROTC to the list of included activities
- Both districts state that homeschooled students must use district transportation in cases when the district requires enrolled students to take that transportation, such as to an away game
- Homeschooled students must have an equal opportunity to try out for activities, compete, and participate
- Homeschooled students must comply with the same requirements, such as physical exams and insurance coverage, as enrolled students
- Homeschooled students must comply with the same policies and code of conduct requirements as district students
These policies highlight that, for extracurricular purposes, homeschooled students should be treated the same as district students. They should have access to the same information as students who attend a school and have the same eligibility criteria.
Districts cannot place additional requirements on a student's ability to qualify for or participate in activities. Students shouldn't be disadvantaged in making a team or trying out for a play or choir because they are homeschooled.
If a district is putting additional requirements on a homeschooled student's participation in an activity or otherwise limiting their ability to compete or participate because they are homeschooled, the Education Law Team at the LLF Law Firm can help. Homeschooled students have the same right to participate and compete as enrolled students.
Special Education
Homeschooled children and teenagers with disabilities can access special education services through their local school districts. Federal and Pennsylvania laws require that public schools provide special education services to all children who live within their boundaries and at no cost to their families.
Public schools cannot decline to provide services to children and teenagers because they aren't enrolled. They also have early intervention services for babies and toddlers who are too young to be in school.
Children must have a qualifying disability to be eligible for special education services. They must undergo an assessment, which will also influence the types of services they receive.
K-12 students qualify for support under one of two federal laws:
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which means a school district must provide them with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which makes a student eligible for a 504 Plan
School districts cannot treat a homeschooled student differently during assessments. Neither can they decline to offer services or charge homeschooling families.
Vaccinations
Pennsylvania's immunization statutes include homeschooled students. Families cannot avoid the state's vaccination requirements by choosing to homeschool their children.
When students begin homeschooling, their families must submit their immunization records to the local school district. Families must provide each child's immunization records every school year.
Pennsylvania requires that all immunization records be submitted to the local school district by August 1 each year. The state has specific requirements for acceptable forms and documents.
Children may be exempted from vaccination requirements due to either religious or medical exemptions. While there have been attempts to end the state's religious exemption and limit the medical exemption, these two exemptions continue to be honored.
For medical exemptions, either a doctor or a doctor's designee can provide a written statement that vaccination would be detrimental to a child's health. Schools cannot refuse to accept a medical exemption written by a medical professional other than a doctor.
If parents or guardians have moral or ethical opposition to vaccinations, they can claim a religious exemption. These exemptions don't have to be renewed yearly, and a one-time statement of the family's opposition meets Pennsylvania laws. Once families submit the necessary forms for a religious exemption, school districts cannot request additional documents.
Homeschooled students cannot be held to a higher standard for vaccinations than enrolled students. Schools cannot deny an exemption or set different rules for homeschooled versus enrolled students.
Protect Your Child's Education
Homeschooling allows parents to tailor their child's education to their child's strengths and interests. Even with Pennsylvania's requirements, homeschooling families have flexibility in choosing how and what they teach their children.
The state provides support via resources and participation in extracurricular activities. Yet misunderstandings about homeschooling can create hostility towards families who choose this educational option and may result in school staff or others attempting to block a family's right to homeschool.
Homeschooling students have the same rights as other students in Pennsylvania. If and when someone is interfering with that right, families have options to address the issue. Call the Education Law Team at the LLF Law Firm at 888-535-3686 or fill out an online form.
