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Pennsylvania Homeschool Documents & Templates

Every document you need to homeschool legally in Pennsylvania, based on 24 P.S. Section 13-1327.1 (Home Education Program).

These are general templates for Home Education Program, the most common of Pennsylvania's 3 pathways. Our free wizard generates personalized documents with your name, address, and district filled in.

What documents do you need?

Notice of Intent

Required. Send to superintendent of the school district of residence by August 1 annually; prior to commencing if starting mid-year

Withdrawal Letter

Required. Send to superintendent of the school district of residence

Assessment Results

Submit to superintendent of the public school district of residence (evaluator's certification; test results stay in the portfolio) , annual

Progress Reports

Submit annual (by June 30) to superintendent of the public school district of residence

Annual Renewal

Required by August 1

Notice of Intent

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)

First-time vs. renewal

First-time filing

Deadline: Prior to the commencement of the home education program

Attachments:

  • •immunization records
  • •criminal history check

Annual renewal

Deadline: August 1 each year (affidavit); evaluator's certification by June 30

Starting mid-year?

File notarized affidavit with superintendent prior to commencement

Withdrawal Letter

Status
Required if your child is currently enrolled in school
Send to
superintendent of the school district of residence
Practical tip: File your notarized affidavit with the superintendent of your school district of residence before the home education program begins (24 P.S. 13-1327.1(b)(1)).

24 P.S. §13-1327.1(a)

Assessment Results

Submit to
superintendent of the public school district of residence (evaluator's certification; test results stay in the portfolio)
Frequency
annual
Submission deadline:
06-30
Practical tip: Your evaluator can be a licensed clinical or school psychologist, a Pennsylvania-certified teacher, or a nonpublic school teacher or administrator with at least two years of teaching experience in a Pennsylvania school within the last ten years, with grading experience at your child's level. Others may evaluate with the superintendent's prior consent. The evaluator cannot be you or your spouse. At grades 3, 5, and 8, use a nationally normed test from the Department of Education's list, or the Statewide tests. The test may not be given by the child's parent or guardian (24 P.S. 13-1327.1(e)).

See our full assessment guide for Pennsylvania for accepted test types, minimum scores, and remediation details.

24 P.S. §13-1327.1(e)

Progress Reports

Frequency
annual (by June 30)
Submit to
superintendent of the public school district of residence
Evidence required:
evaluator's certification or letter
Submission deadline:
06-30
Practical tip: If the evaluator's certification does not reach the superintendent by June 30, the superintendent sends a certified letter giving you ten days to submit it. If the superintendent has a reasonable belief during the year that appropriate education may not be occurring, a certified letter stating the basis can require an evaluator's certification within 30 days. If a required certification is not submitted, the school board provides a hearing before a qualified, impartial hearing examiner within 30 days. The examiner may set up a remedial education plan agreed to by you and the superintendent. Either side may appeal to the Secretary of Education, Commonwealth Court, or court of common pleas, and the program may continue during an appeal (24 P.S. 13-1327.1(h.1), (i.1), (k), (l)).

24 P.S. §13-1327.1(b), (e)

Annual Renewal

Deadline
August 1
Practical tip: If the evaluator's certification does not reach the superintendent by June 30, the superintendent sends a certified letter giving you ten days to submit it. If the superintendent has a reasonable belief during the year that appropriate education may not be occurring, a certified letter stating the basis can require an evaluator's certification within 30 days. If a required certification is not submitted, the school board provides a hearing before a qualified, impartial hearing examiner within 30 days. The examiner may set up a remedial education plan agreed to by you and the superintendent. Either side may appeal to the Secretary of Education, Commonwealth Court, or court of common pleas, and the program may continue during an appeal (24 P.S. 13-1327.1(h.1), (i.1), (k), (l)).

24 P.S. §13-1327.1(b), (e)

Recordkeeping requirements

Varies by pathway. Home Education Program: ["reading_log","work_samples","writing_samples","test_results"]; Private Tutoring: undefined; Religious Day School: 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)

Other ways to homeschool in Pennsylvania

This page covers Home Education Program. Pennsylvania offers 3 different ways to homeschool, and each may require different documents:

  • •
    Home Education Program(this page): You file a notarized affidavit with the superintendent of your school district of residence before you begin and by August 1 each year. You provide 180 days of instruction, or 900 hours at the elementary level or 990 hours at the secondary level, in the required subjects, and keep a portfolio. Each year a qualified evaluator reviews the portfolio, and you submit the evaluator's certification that an appropriate education is occurring to the superintendent by June 30. Standardized tests are required at grades 3, 5, and 8 (24 P.S. 13-1327.1).
  • •
    Private Tutoring: A Pennsylvania-certified teacher, paid for the instruction, provides most of the instruction to children of a single family and files a copy of the certification and criminal history record with the superintendent of your school district of residence (24 P.S. 13-1327(a)). Testing and attendance records are not required of the family by state law. The tutor reports the child's enrollment, any withdrawal, and any three days of unexcused absence to the school district (24 P.S. 13-1332).
  • •
    Religious Day School: Your child attends a day school operated by a bona fide church or other religious body that provides 180 days of instruction, or 900 hours at the elementary level or 990 hours at the secondary level, and teaches the courses listed in the statute (24 P.S. 13-1327(b)). The school's principal files a notarized affidavit with the Department of Education. Testing and attendance records are not required of the family by state law. The school reports enrolled children, withdrawals, and any three days of unexcused absence to the school district (24 P.S. 13-1332).

Our wizard helps you choose the right one and generates the correct documents. Compare all pathways for Pennsylvania

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Requirements sourced from 24 P.S. Section 13-1327.1 (Home Education Program). Last reviewed October 2026