How to start homeschooling in Pennsylvania
The legal steps, in order, checked against Pennsylvania law.
Short answer: Pennsylvania parents run a home education program by filing a notarized affidavit with their school district superintendent before starting and every August 1 after that. The supervising parent needs a high school diploma or its equivalent, must teach the required subjects for 180 days or 900 hours (990 hours at the secondary level), and must keep a portfolio. Each year a qualified evaluator reviews the portfolio and interviews the child, and the parent sends the evaluator's certification to the superintendent by June 30.
Checked against 24 P.S. 13-1327.1 (Public School Code section 1327.1) on Nov 8, 2026. Compulsory school ages: 6 to 18. This is what the law says, not legal advice.
Pennsylvania gives you 2 legal ways to homeschool. Pick one and follow its steps.
Home education program
A parent, guardian, or person with legal custody who holds a high school diploma or its equivalent and will supervise the child's instruction.
Steps
- Check your school district's board policy on which forms to file. The department posts sample affidavits for elementary (K to 6) and secondary (7 to 12) levels, and unsworn declarations that may be used instead.
- Before starting, file a notarized affidavit with the superintendent of your school district of residence. It names the supervisor, each child and their age, the program address and phone, states that the required subjects are taught in English, includes an outline of proposed educational objectives by subject, and gives evidence of immunizations and required health services.
- Sign the certification in the affidavit that you, all adults in the home, and anyone with legal custody have not been convicted of the listed offenses in the past five years.
- Teach the required subjects for at least 180 days or 900 hours a year at the elementary level, or 990 hours at the secondary level.
- Keep a portfolio for each child: a log made as you go listing reading materials by title, samples of the child's work, and standardized test results in grades 3, 5, and 8. The test may not be given by the child's parent.
- Near the end of the school year, have a qualified evaluator interview your child and review the portfolio, then send the evaluator's certification that an appropriate education is occurring to the superintendent by June 30.
- File a new affidavit by August 1 each year.
| Notice to the state | Yes To: Superintendent of the child's school district of residence When: Before the home education program begins, then annually on August 1 Official form |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Elementary: English (spelling, reading, writing), arithmetic, science, geography, history of the United States and Pennsylvania, civics, safety education including fire prevention, health and physiology, physical education, music, and art. Secondary: English (language, literature, speech, composition), science, geography, social studies (civics, world history, history of the United States and Pennsylvania), mathematics (general math, algebra, geometry), art, music, physical education, health, and safety education including fire prevention. |
| Time | At least 180 days or 900 hours of instruction a year at the elementary level, or 990 hours a year at the secondary level |
| Parent qualifications | The supervisor must hold a high school diploma or its equivalent |
| Testing or evaluation | Nationally normed standardized tests in reading or language arts and math, or the statewide tests, in grades 3, 5, and 8, chosen from the department's list and not given by the parent. An annual written evaluation by a licensed clinical or school psychologist, a Pennsylvania certified teacher, or a qualified nonpublic school teacher or administrator, based on an interview and portfolio review. The evaluator may not be the supervisor or the supervisor's spouse. The evaluator's certification is due to the superintendent by June 30. |
| Records to keep | A portfolio for each student with a log made at the time of instruction listing reading materials by title, samples of writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative work, and test results for grades 3, 5, and 8 |
The law: 24 P.S. 13-1327.1 (Public School Code section 1327.1) 24 P.S. 13-1326 (compulsory school age)
Other legal routes
Pennsylvania law also allows these. We have not confirmed their full rules, so ask the state education department before you choose one.
- Properly qualified private tutor: Families whose child is taught by a person certified to teach in Pennsylvania public schools who is paid to provide most of the instruction to children of one family.
High school, transcripts and diplomas
Graduation from a home education program requires at least four years of English, three of math, three of science, three of social studies, and two of arts and humanities in grades 9 to 12. A diploma may be awarded by the supervisor on the department's standard form (PDE 6008), signed by the 12th grade evaluator, or by a diploma-granting organization approved by the department. Either diploma carries the same rights and privileges with Commonwealth agencies, including PHEAA, as a public school diploma.
Public school sports and activities
Yes. The school district of residence must let a home education student take part in activities such as clubs, musical ensembles, athletics, and theater if the student meets the same eligibility and tryout criteria and follows the rules of the activity's governing organization. Since the 2023 to 2024 school year, districts must also allow home education students into cocurricular activities, academic courses up to at least one quarter of the school day, and career and technical education programs, under district policy.
After the paperwork
Common questions
Do I have to tell the state I am homeschooling in Pennsylvania?
Yes, under the home education program route, you notify superintendent of the child's school district of residence before the home education program begins, then annually on August 1.
Is testing required for homeschoolers in Pennsylvania?
Nationally normed standardized tests in reading or language arts and math, or the statewide tests, in grades 3, 5, and 8, chosen from the department's list and not given by the parent. An annual written evaluation by a licensed clinical or school psychologist, a Pennsylvania certified teacher, or a qualified nonpublic school teacher or administrator, based on an interview and portfolio review. The evaluator may not be the supervisor or the supervisor's spouse. The evaluator's certification is due to the superintendent by June 30.
What subjects are required for homeschooling in Pennsylvania?
Elementary: English (spelling, reading, writing), arithmetic, science, geography, history of the United States and Pennsylvania, civics, safety education including fire prevention, health and physiology, physical education, music, and art. Secondary: English (language, literature, speech, composition), science, geography, social studies (civics, world history, history of the United States and Pennsylvania), mathematics (general math, algebra, geometry), art, music, physical education, health, and safety education including fire prevention.
What ages must be schooled in Pennsylvania?
Ages 6 to 18, per state law.
Sources
- 24 P.S. 13-1327.1 (Public School Code section 1327.1)
- 24 P.S. 13-1326 (compulsory school age)
- 24 P.S. 13-1327 (compulsory school attendance, private tutors)
- Home Education and Private Tutoring, Pennsylvania Department of Education
We read each source on Nov 8, 2026 and recheck every guide each quarter. Laws change. If something here no longer matches the state, write to us and we will fix it.