Pennsylvania Home Education Diploma
Home Educated students in Pennsylvania who meet the academic requirements are eligible to receive a diploma from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. This accredited diploma is awarded by the supervisor and is considered as having all the rights and privileges afforded by the Commonwealth, a Commonwealth agency, including, but not limited to, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, a political subdivision, a local agency and an authority or instrumentality of the Commonwealth. 24 P.S. § 13-1327.1(d)(d.1)(1)
Official transcripts are created and provided by the home education supervisor.
“Supervisor” shall mean the parent or guardian or such person having legal custody of the child or children who shall be responsible for the provision of instruction, provided that such person has a high school diploma or its equivalent. 24 P.S. § 13-1327.1(a)
Home Education Requirements
from the Pennsylvania Home Education Law 24 P.S. § 13-1327.1
and Section 1327. Compulsory School Attendance
When documents need to be filed with the school district
- Those new to homeschooling must file an affidavit or unsworn declaration with their school district superintendent prior to commencing homeschooling.
- Those continuing to home educating must refile each year by August 1st to the superintendent of their school district
- If the child has never attended public school, an affidavit or unsworn declaration must be submitted with the school district superintendent the year he/she attains compulsory attendance age, which is currently six years old (24 P.S. § 13-1326).
- The Pennsylvania Department of Education’s basic education circular states the following: “Specifically, a child who has attained the age of 6 on or before September 1 must enroll and attend school or begin a home school program that year.”
- If a child is enrolled in public school, then you must file an affidavit or unsworn declaration with the school district regardless of the age (PA Supreme Court – Commonwealth of PA v. Jennifer Ann Kerstetter).
- However, a parent may withdraw a child from public school if the parent does not believe the child is ready for school. In this case, if the child is not yet 6, HSLDA takes the position that the compulsory school attendance law would not apply once the child is formally withdrawn from school. The Pennsylvania Department of Education shares this opinion in its basic education circular on compulsory school attendance.
Documents to file when beginning to home educate
- A completed affidavit that has been notarized or an unsworn declaration.
- An outline of proposed educational objectives by subject areas for the level of instruction for each student. If a child has been labeled as special needs, then the program must address the child’s needs and be approved by a certified special education teacher or a licensed clinical or certified school psychologist.
- Evidence of the child’s immunization and health and dental care or an exemption. The affidavit or unsworn declaration serves as evidence depending on the form that is used.
During the school year
- Keep a contemporaneous log – “A log, made contemporaneously with the instruction, which designates by title the reading material used” 24 P.S. § 13-1327.1(e)(1)
- Put simply: a listing of the titles of reading materials used and samples of work should be included as part of the portfolio.
- Keep track of either the number of hours spent in schooling time (900 hours elementary – 990 hours secondary) or the days spent in schooling (Must meet 180 days). Home educators are required to complete either the hours requirement or the days requirement, not both.
- Standardized Testing for students in grades 3, 5, and 8 – results must be presented to the evaluator at the evaluation.
The end of the school year, by June 30th
- A qualified evaluator (evaluator qualifications) of the supervisor’s choice will give written substantiation which states that an appropriate education is occurring. (24 P.S. § 1327.1 (a): Appropriate education shall mean a program consisting of instruction in the required subjects for the time required in this act and in which the student demonstrates sustained progress in the overall program.)
- The evaluator’s form is submitted the superintendent of the child’s school district by June 30. This is the only form submitted at the end of the year. Many families also choose to submit the affidavit or unsworn declaration and objectives at this time instead of waiting until August 1.