Pennsylvania Homeschool Laws 2026: Affidavits, Portfolios, and Everything In Between

Pennsylvania: Detailed but Doable

Pennsylvania is one of the more regulated homeschool states, requiring annual affidavit filing, a formal portfolio maintained throughout the year, and an annual evaluation by a certified educator. But Pennsylvania also has a large, well-organized homeschool community with resources to help families navigate these requirements confidently.

The Legal Basis: Pennsylvania School Code Section 13-1327.1

Pennsylvania's homeschool statute, Section 13-1327.1 of the Pennsylvania School Code, was enacted in 1988 and has remained largely unchanged. It provides a clear framework that, while detailed, is straightforward once you understand it.

Step 1: File Your Homeschool Affidavit

Each year, you must file a homeschool affidavit with your local school district superintendent by August 1 (or within 30 days of beginning mid-year).

The affidavit must include:

• Parent name and address
• Child's name, age, and grade level
• A statement certifying that you will provide instruction in the required subjects
• A list of the textbooks, workbooks, and other materials you plan to use
• Proof of immunizations (or a medical or religious exemption)
• Proof of the parent/supervisor's educational qualifications

Parent qualification requirement: The homeschool supervisor (usually a parent) must have a high school diploma or GED. This is one of Pennsylvania's unique requirements.

Required Subjects in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania law specifies different required subjects by grade level:

Elementary (Grades 1–6):

• English (reading, writing, spelling, grammar)
• Arithmetic
• Science
• Geography
• History of the United States and Pennsylvania
• Civics
• Safety and Fire Prevention
• Health and Physiology
• Physical Education
• Music
• Art

Secondary (Grades 7–12):

All elementary subjects, plus:

• English (literature, composition, speech)
• Science (biology, chemistry, physics)
• Social Studies (world history, US history, civics, economics)
• Mathematics (algebra, geometry, and higher)
• Health
• Physical Education
• Music and/or Arts
• Career Education

Step 2: Maintain Your Portfolio Throughout the Year

Pennsylvania requires that you maintain a portfolio of your homeschool instruction throughout the year. The portfolio must include:

1. A log of instructional materials used: textbooks, workbooks, websites, curricula by subject
2. Samples of completed work: writing samples, math worksheets, projects, tests
3. A record of subjects studied: what was covered and when
4. Annual record of instruction: a calendar or log showing instruction occurred throughout the year

You do not submit this portfolio to the school district during the year. It is maintained for the annual evaluation.

Step 3: Annual Evaluation

At the end of each school year, a qualified evaluator must review your portfolio and certify your child's progress. Pennsylvania accepts these evaluators:

1. A Pennsylvania-certified teacher: reviews the portfolio and provides a written evaluation
2. A licensed psychologist
3. A nonpublic school teacher who holds at least a bachelor's degree

The evaluator must provide a written evaluation indicating whether the student has shown "appropriate progress" in the required subjects. This evaluation does not have to show any specific test score, only that the child made reasonable progress given their circumstances.

Submit the evaluation to your school district superintendent by June 30 of each school year.

Immunization Requirements

Pennsylvania requires documentation of immunizations as part of the annual affidavit. However, Pennsylvania allows:

• Medical exemptions: signed by a physician
• Religious exemptions: a signed statement that immunization conflicts with your religious beliefs

Required Instructional Time

Pennsylvania does not specify a minimum number of instructional hours per year (unlike New York). However, the portfolio must demonstrate that instruction occurred throughout the school year in all required subjects.

High School Homeschooling in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has one of the most supportive environments for high school homeschoolers:

• Diplomas: Pennsylvania homeschool parents can issue their own high school diploma
• Transcripts: You create your child's official transcript as the homeschool supervisor
• Dual enrollment: Available at many Pennsylvania community colleges and universities
• PHEAA grants: Pennsylvania homeschool graduates can qualify for Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency grants for college

Common Mistakes Pennsylvania Homeschool Parents Make

• Incomplete affidavit: missing documentation of materials or parent qualifications
• Poor portfolio organization: samples should be organized by subject and date
• Waiting until the last minute to find an evaluator: Pennsylvania-certified evaluators get booked quickly in May and June
• Missing the June 30 evaluation submission deadline

Pennsylvania Homeschool Organizations

• Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency (PHAA): accreditation, transcripts, and diploma recognition
• Pennsylvania Home Education Network (PHEN): advocacy and support
• Christian Homeschool Association of Pennsylvania (CHAP): curriculum fair and co-ops

How ProTeach Helps Pennsylvania Homeschool Families

Pennsylvania's portfolio-based approach is perfectly suited to ProTeach's system:

• All required subjects covered: elementary and secondary subject lists fully addressed
• Automatic lesson logging builds your portfolio documentation throughout the year
• Weekly progress emails serve as ongoing records of instruction
• Your Teacher Companion creates lesson plans aligned to Pennsylvania's required subject areas
• The compliance dashboard tracks your annual affidavit deadline and evaluation submission date

Pennsylvania rewards organized homeschool families. ProTeach builds that organization automatically so your annual evaluation is a formality, not a scramble.

Start your free 14-day trial at proteachhomelearning.com.

Resources & Further Reading

• [Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency (PHAA)](https://pahomeschoolers.com): PA-specific accreditation, transcript recognition, and diploma services for homeschool graduates
• [Pennsylvania Home Education Network (PHEN)](https://phen.org): Advocacy, support, and resources for Pennsylvania homeschool families
• [HSLDA Pennsylvania](https://hslda.org/legal/pennsylvania): Legal support and Pennsylvania-specific homeschool compliance guidance
• [PA School Code Section 13-1327.1](https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/uconsCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&yr=1949&sessInd=0&smthLwInd=0&act=14&chpt=13&sctn=27.1&subsctn=0): The actual Pennsylvania homeschool statute

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does Pennsylvania require parents to have a high school diploma to homeschool?

A: Yes. Pennsylvania is one of the few states that requires the homeschool supervisor (usually a parent) to hold at minimum a high school diploma or GED. There is no teaching certificate requirement.

Q: How do I find a Pennsylvania-certified evaluator for my annual assessment?

A: PHAA (Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency) and PHEN maintain evaluator directories. Many evaluators are retired teachers who specialize in homeschool portfolio review. Book your evaluator by April, they fill up quickly in May and June.

Q: What should I include in my Pennsylvania homeschool portfolio?

A: Writing samples (one from early, mid, and late in the year), math worksheets or tests, science experiment documentation, history projects, and a reading log. Organize by subject with dates. ProTeach automatically logs and organizes all lesson data for easy portfolio assembly.

Q: Can Pennsylvania homeschoolers earn a recognized diploma?

A: Yes. Pennsylvania homeschool parents can issue their own high school diploma. For additional recognition, the Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency offers an accreditation process that many colleges and employers recognize.