Please note, this is not intended as legal advice. This is for informational purposes only and should you choose to Homeschool in Pennsylvania then you need to double check the Pennsylvania Department of Education website for current regulations.
All children between the ages of 8 and 16 are required to attend school under Pennsylvania’s compulsory education requirements. Families choosing home education to fulfill those requirements must:
- Be taught by a parent (or legal guardian) with a high school diploma (or equivalent) who has not been convicted of any major criminal offenses in the previous five years.
- Submit a notarized affidavit yearly to the superintendent’s office of the student’s home school district (more info below).
- Have each homeschooled child interviewed and evaluated annually by a state approved home education evaluator.
- Have each homeschooled child take a state-approved standardized test in grades 3,5, and 8
- Comply with immunization requirements.
- Comply with mandatory course requirements, depending on grade level and an agreement that those subjects will be taught in the English language
- Comply with minimum graduation requirements to receive a state-recognized diploma (more info below)
The best way to stay on top of changes in homeschool regulations is to connect with other local homeschoolers in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Secular Homeschool Groups
An Educated Life, In the City of Brotherly Love
“We are actively Anti-racist, Secular, Inclusive and Safe in this Homeschooling community.”
Franklin & Cumberland County, PA Secular Homeschoolers
“This group is for secular homeschoolers located in Franklin County, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas. It is a LGBTQ-friendly, secular haven for those that teach evolution.”
Franklin County S.T.E.A.M. Ahead
“This group is open to anyone who appreciates the value of an academically rich education and is looking for ways to promote that within the community. This group is open to people of any faith, or lack thereof. This is a secular group, and all science discussions will be strictly secular. This group is for like-minded individuals to share ideas, ask questions, arrange meet-ups, etc.”
Homeschool Happenings in Montgomery County, PA
“First, we wanted a secular support community for homeschooling families of all types, in and around Western Montgomery County, PA. The group itself is secular, which means that we do not affiliate ourselves with any one faith.”
“This is an eclectic group from many counties who home educate for a variety of reasons. We are made up of diverse backgrounds, religions, and cultures. We all use different methods of learning. What we do share in common isa thirst for knowledge and passion for learning!”
Lancaster Secular Homeschoolers
“We are a secular-based homeschool group in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania that fits somewhere between structured book learning and unschooling.”
“PALS, which stands for People Always Learning Something is an eclectic, parent-run group of secular homeschoolers who run two 13-week sessions per year of enrichment classes, primarily taught by parents in our group.”
Pittsburgh Area Secular Homeschoolers
“This is a group for secular homeschool families in the greater Pittsburgh area with school aged children (5+) to share local information and get homeschool support. We aim for group participation with everyone contributing to the group in a meaningful way.”
Secular Homeschoolers of Clarion County (PA)
“SHCC is a secular, inclusive organization for home educators in Clarion County Pennsylvania (and surrounding areas). We promote learning in a non-faith-based, pro-science atmosphere and welcome all families and students who wish to learn with us. We offer support via local fieldtrips, enrichment classes, play-dates, and local outings. In the future, we hope to grow and provide multi-day trips, camp-outs, film screenings, book clubs, and more. “
