If your child is currently enrolled in public or private school, it is recommended that you withdraw your child from that school after you file your affidavit to begin homeschooling.
Withdrawing during the school year
- Immediately file your affidavit/unsworn declaration and other needed documents with the school superintendent. It is recommended that your child miss no more than 3 consecutive days of public/private school before you file to avoid truancy issues. Once you file the affidavit and other needed documents, you would officially be homeschooling and the truancy statutes would no longer apply.
- Withdrawal from your public/private school.
Withdrawing during the summer
- File your affidavit and other needed documents with the school superintendent before the start of the public school year and before starting the home education program. The PA Homeschool Year runs from July 1st – June 30th each year.
- Withdrawal from your public/private school.
Notes
- Your public/private school may have a withdrawal form available for you to submit.
- If your school does not, you can submit a simple letter stating that you are withdrawing. Visit our Forms page for samples.
- When you file your affidavit, you are notifying your district of your intent to homeschool. Homeschooling is a right, as long as the required documentation is submitted in the notarized affidavit; the school district’s approval is not required (22 Pa. Code § 11.31a).
What is required to submit to the school superintendent?
From the PA Homeschool Law:
A notarized affidavit of the parent or guardian or other person having legal custody of the child or children, filed prior to the commencement of the home education program and annually thereafter on August 1 with the superintendent of the school, district of residence and which sets forth: the name of the supervisor of the home education program who shall be responsible for the provision of instruction; the name and age of each child who shall participate in the home education program; the address and telephone number of the home education program site; that such subjects as required by law are offered in the English language, including an outline of proposed education objectives by subject area; evidence that the child has been immunized in accordance with the provisions of section 1303(a) and has received the health and medical services required for students of the child’s age or grade level in Article XIV; and that the home education program shall comply with the provisions of this section and that the notarized affidavit shall be satisfactory evidence thereof.