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Pennsylvania Homeschool Requirements Detailed regulation
What Pennsylvania requires from homeschool families — notification, subjects, hours, testing, and portfolio rules — with links to the current law. This is the same state data FolioKid uses to build your portfolio template.
- Governing law: 24 P.S. § 13-1327.1
- Required subjects: English (Spelling, Reading, Writing), Arithmetic, Science, Geography, United States & Pennsylvania History, Civics, Safety Education, Health & Physiology, Physical Education, Music, Art (elementary grades; the secondary list adds language, literature, speech and composition, world history, algebra, and geometry)
- Instructional hours: 180 days or 900 hours per year (elementary); 990 hours per year (secondary)
- Testing: grades 3, 5, 8 — reading/language arts and math, not given by a parent
- Evaluator: an annual portfolio review and interview by a qualified evaluator (a PA-certified teacher, licensed clinical or school psychologist, or nonpublic school teacher or administrator — never the parent or their spouse), with the evaluator's certification due to the superintendent by June 30
File a notarized affidavit (or unsworn declaration) with the district superintendent by August 1 each year. The portfolio must include a log made at the time of instruction that lists reading materials by title, samples of the student's work, and test results in grades 3, 5, and 8. Only the evaluator's certification goes to the district (by June 30) — the family keeps the portfolio.
Records you must keep in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is a portfolio state. You keep the portfolio at home, and a qualified evaluator reviews it each year. Keep all of the following:
- A log made at the time of instruction that lists reading materials by title (not rebuilt at the end of the year)
- Samples of your child's writing, worksheets, workbooks and creative work (across the required subjects)
- A record of instructional time — 180 days or 900 hours (elementary), or 990 hours (secondary)
- Standardized test results for grades 3, 5, and 8 (reading/language arts and math; the test can't be given by a parent)
- The evaluator's written certification (the certification — not the portfolio — goes to your superintendent)
Your Pennsylvania filing timeline
- By August 1 (each year)File a notarized affidavit or unsworn declaration with your district superintendent, with your education objectives by subject and your child's immunization and health records.
- All year longKeep the log, work samples, and hours record current as you go.
- Grades 3, 5 & 8Have your child take the PSSA or an approved nationally normed test (not given by a parent) and keep the results.
- SpringMeet with a qualified evaluator for a portfolio review and a short interview with your child.
- By June 30Send the evaluator's certification to your superintendent. You keep the portfolio.
How FolioKid builds a Pennsylvania-compliant portfolio
You do the teaching; FolioKid assembles the paperwork Pennsylvania asks for:
- Snap photos of work as it happens — FolioKid tags each entry by subject against Pennsylvania's required-subject list.
- Log instructional time toward the 900-hour (elementary) or 990-hour (secondary) target with a running total.
- Add standardized test scores (grades 3, 5, 8) and keep your reading log in one place.
- Export a Pennsylvania-formatted portfolio PDF — subject sections, hours summary, reading list, and signature blocks — or send your evaluator a read-only share link (no account needed, expires in 30 days).
Free: the Pennsylvania Homeschool Portfolio Checklist
A 2-page printable PDF — every step from affidavit to evaluator, plus the required subjects for elementary and secondary. We'll email it to you.
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Official Pennsylvania sources
Pennsylvania homeschool FAQ
What law governs homeschooling in Pennsylvania?
Homeschooling in Pennsylvania is governed by 24 P.S. § 13-1327.1. File a notarized affidavit (or unsworn declaration) with the district superintendent by August 1 each year. The portfolio must include a log made at the time of instruction that lists reading materials by title, samples of the student's work, and test results in grades 3, 5, and 8. Only the evaluator's certification goes to the district (by June 30) — the family keeps the portfolio. Always verify current requirements with your state department of education.
What subjects are required for homeschooling in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania requires: English (Spelling, Reading, Writing), Arithmetic, Science, Geography, United States & Pennsylvania History, Civics, Safety Education, Health & Physiology, Physical Education, Music, Art (elementary grades; the secondary list adds language, literature, speech and composition, world history, algebra, and geometry).
How many hours or days of instruction does Pennsylvania require?
Pennsylvania requires 180 days or 900 hours per year (elementary); 990 hours per year (secondary).
Does Pennsylvania require testing or a portfolio evaluation?
Yes — Pennsylvania requires standardized testing (grades 3, 5, 8 — reading/language arts and math, not given by a parent) and an annual portfolio review and interview by a qualified evaluator (a PA-certified teacher, licensed clinical or school psychologist, or nonpublic school teacher or administrator — never the parent or their spouse), with the evaluator's certification due to the superintendent by June 30.
Keeping records for Pennsylvania? Snap photos of your kids' work and FolioKid organizes them into a year-end portfolio PDF — formatted around Pennsylvania's requirements.
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