Pennsylvania Homeschool Requirements Checklist
Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in Pennsylvania, based on 24 P.S. Section 13-1327.1 (Home Education Program). Pennsylvania is classified as High regulation.
This is the general checklist for Home Education Program, the most common of Pennsylvania's 3 pathways. Our free wizard customizes this for your family, including grade, pathway, enrollment status, and IEP.
Your compliance checklist
Do first
File your Letter of Intent & instructional plan
Submit to superintendent of the school district of residence. Deadline: August 1 annually; prior to commencing if starting mid-year.
Deadline: August 1 annually; prior to commencing if starting mid-year
More details
Include: parent/guardian name, child's name, child's age, address where instruction takes place, parent/guardian phone or email, list of subjects to be taught, educational plan or objectives. Must be notarized
Send a withdrawal letter
If your child is currently enrolled in school, send a withdrawal letter to superintendent of the school district of residence.
Deadline: Before you start (if enrolled)
Confirm your qualification
This pathway requires a high school diploma or GED.
Deadline: Before you start
More details
Background check required.
Ongoing
Required subjects (varies by grade)
elementary–K–6: 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, art. secondary–7–12: English (language, literature, speech, composition), mathematics (general math, algebra, geometry), science, geography, social studies (civics, world history, U.S. history, Pennsylvania history), safety education (including fire prevention), health and physiology, physical education, music, art
Meet instructional time requirements
Minimum: 900 hours/year. You must track and document hours.
Show your child's progress
Portfolio review or Standardized test or Teacher evaluation — annually. At grades: 3, 5, 8.
More details
Submit by: 06-30
Keep basic records
You must maintain: attendance records, grades or evaluations, student portfolio. Records may be reviewed by the district.
More details
Portfolio must include: reading log, work samples, writing samples, test results.
Submit annual progress reports
Submit annual progress reports to superintendent of the school district. Annual renewal also required by August 1.
More details
Submit: evaluator's certification or letter. Due: 06-30.
Filing requirements
- What to file
- detailed plan
- Send to
- superintendent of the school district of residence
- Deadline
- August 1 annually; prior to commencing if starting mid-year
- How often
- annual
Your notice must include:
- •parent/guardian name
- •child's name
- •child's age
- •address where instruction takes place
- •parent/guardian phone or email
- •list of subjects to be taught
- •educational plan or objectives
Notarization is required.
24 P.S. §13-1327.1(b)
Ongoing requirements
Required subjects
- ✓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
Varies by pathway. Home Education Program: {"elementary_K_6":["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","art"],"secondary_7_12":["English (language, literature, speech, composition)","mathematics (general math, algebra, geometry)","science","geography","social studies (civics, world history, U.S. history, Pennsylvania history)","safety education (including fire prevention)","health and physiology","physical education","music","art"]}; Private Tutoring: null; Religious Day School Extension / Satellite Program: null
24 P.S. §13-1327.1(c)
Detailed requirements by grade
elementary–K–6
- ✓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
- ✓art
secondary–7–12
- ✓English (language, literature, speech, composition)
- ✓mathematics (general math, algebra, geometry)
- ✓science
- ✓geography
- ✓social studies (civics, world history, U.S. history, Pennsylvania history)
- ✓safety education (including fire prevention)
- ✓health and physiology
- ✓physical education
- ✓music
- ✓art
Instructional time
Varies by pathway. Home Education Program: true; Private Tutoring: false; Religious Day School Extension / Satellite Program: false
- Hours per year:
- 900
24 P.S. §13-1327.1(c)
Testing and assessment
Varies by pathway. Home Education Program: "06-30"; Private Tutoring: undefined; Religious Day School Extension / Satellite Program: undefined
- Accepted types
- Portfolio review, Standardized test, Teacher evaluation
- Frequency
- annually
- At grades
- 3, 5, 8
See our full assessment guide for Pennsylvania for details.
24 P.S. §13-1327.1(e)
Recordkeeping
Varies by pathway. Home Education Program: ["reading_log","work_samples","writing_samples","test_results"]; Private Tutoring: undefined; Religious Day School Extension / Satellite Program: undefined
- ✓Attendance records
- ✓Grades or evaluations
- ✓Student portfolio
Records may be reviewed by the district.
Portfolio must include:
- •reading log
- •work samples
- •writing samples
- •test results
24 P.S. §13-1327.1(e)
Reporting
Varies by pathway. Home Education Program: "06-30"; Private Tutoring: undefined; Religious Day School Extension / Satellite Program: undefined
- Progress reports
- annual reports to superintendent of the school district
- Annual renewal
- Required by August 1
24 P.S. §13-1327.1(b), (e)
Instructor qualifications
Varies by pathway. Home Education Program: true; Private Tutoring: undefined; Religious Day School Extension / Satellite Program: undefined
The instructor must have a high school diploma or GED.
Documentation of qualifications is required.
A background check is required.
24 P.S. §13-1327.1(a)
Other ways to homeschool in Pennsylvania
This checklist covers Home Education Program, the most common pathway. Pennsylvania offers 3 different ways to homeschool, each with different requirements:
- •Home Education Program(this checklist) : You file a notarized affidavit with your superintendent by August 1 each year, teach required subjects for 900-990 hours, and submit a portfolio with an evaluator's certification by June 30. Standardized testing required at grades 3, 5, and 8. The most common pathway — structured but manageable.
- •Private Tutoring : A Pennsylvania-certified teacher tutors your child. The tutor files credentials with the superintendent — no approval is needed. No portfolio or standardized testing required — the certified teacher provides accountability. This pathway requires hiring a credentialed tutor, making it less practical for most families.
- •Religious Day School Extension / Satellite Program : You enroll as part of a religious day school extension program. Requirements may differ from the standard Home Education Program and vary by district interpretation. This pathway is less clearly defined in statute and is primarily used by families with religious motivations.
Our wizard helps you choose the right one. Compare all pathways for Pennsylvania
Get your personalized checklist
This is the general checklist for the most common pathway. The wizard customizes it for your family's specific situation, including grade, pathway, and IEP status.
Get your Pennsylvania checklistRequirements sourced from 24 P.S. Section 13-1327.1 (Home Education Program). Verified against primary legal sources. Last verified: March 2026