New to Homeschooling?

Welcome to one of the most valuable and rewarding parental endeavors! 

 

Homeschooling is an educational choice which asserts parental responsibility for all aspects of your child's education. These choices include the child's course of study and the materials you will use, how subjects are taught, checking students' work, and assigning grades. If you are beginning the journey, here are some helpful things to think about before you begin:

• Yourself-  Evaluate yourself and be realistic about your teaching and discipline styles, your strengths, and your weaknesses. What subjects are your passions? Which ones do you think you'll need support? Don't be afraid to ask for help - we all need advice in one area or another.
• Your child-  Every child has their own unique style of learning. Study your children to find out what motivates them, how they best learn, what is their best and worst time of day, etc. Children change, so what works one year (or day) may or may not work the next. Be flexible. One of the biggest benefits and freedoms of homeschooling is your ability to "tailor-make" your curriculum to fit the needs of each specific child. There is also no pressure to fit in with a larger group of students, they can move at their own speed as they seek to master the material.
• Homeschooling-  Any new venture requires research. Learn about teaching methods, learning styles, homeschool terminology, curriculum, and legal issues. You can't know it all, but seek to have a working knowledge of the process and available resources. Among homeschooling families, is not unusual for a specific subject to be taught by someone other than the child’s parent. For example, someone else may teach your child science, advanced mathematics, Spanish, or piano. This is a legitimate and useful practice for many. It is also common for a group of families to develop more elaborate systems of helping one another such as co-ops like SEEK!  Another added benefit of being part of a co-op community is it is an ideal opportunity to tap into the treasure of knowledge that current and veteran homeschooling parents offer.  
• Homeschooling Resources:
  • “Teaching from Rest” by Sarah Mackenzie
  • “Homeschool Basics” by Tricia Goyer and Kristi Clover
  • “Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling” by Debra Bell
  • “Homeschool Bravely” by Jamie Erickson
  • “Homeschooling 101” by Erica Arndt 

 

What are the legal aspects? In PA, under the Homeschool Statute:

1. You must have at least a high school diploma or its equivalent to teach in a homeschool.

2. You must file a notarized affidavit OR an unsworn declaration. 

A notarized affidavit or unsworn declaration must be filed with the local superintendent before you start your homeschool program for the first time, and by August 1 of each year after that. An affidavit form and unsworn declaration form is available below for HSLDA members. The affidavit or unsworn declaration must include the following information:

1. The name of the parent/supervisor, name and age of child, address, and telephone number
2. Assurance that subjects are taught in English* 
3. Outline of proposed educational objectives by subject area
4. Evidence of immunization or religious/medical exemption
5. Evidence of health and medical services required by law
6. Certification that the home education program will comply with 24 P.S. § 13-1327.1
7. A certification that the supervisor, all adults living within the home, and any persons having legal custody of the children have not been convicted of certain criminal offenses within the past five years.

3. You must teach 180 days or 900 hours at the elementary school level and 180 days or 990 hours at the secondary level.

4. The following courses must be taught:

Elementary-Level (K–6th grade) Required Courses

• English, which must include: 
  • Spelling 
  • Reading
  • Writing
• Arithmetic
• Civics
• History of the U.S. and Pennsylvania
• Health and physiology
• Physical education
• Music
• Art
• Geography
• Science
• Safety education, including regular and continuous instruction in the dangers and prevention of fires

 Secondary-Level (7th–12th grade)

• English, which must include the four subjects below: 
  • Language
  • Literature
  • Speech
  • Composition
• Mathematics, which must include the three subjects below:
  • General mathematics
  • Algebra
  • Geometry
• Social studies, which must include the three subjects below:
• Civics
• History of the U.S. and Pennsylvania
• World history
• Health
• Physical education
• Music
• Art
• Geography
• Science
• Safety education, including regular and continuous instruction in the dangers and prevention of fires

High School Graduation Requirements

• 4 years of English
• 3 years of math
• 3 years of science
• 3 years of social studies
• 2 years of art and humanities

 

5.  You must maintain a portfolio, including required testing. Included in the portfolio must be the following documentation:

• Log: The log must be “made contemporaneously with the instruction [and designate] by title the reading materials used . . . .”
• Student work samples: These samples can be any writings, worksheets, workbooks, or creative materials used or developed by the student.
• Standardized testing: In grades 3, 5, and 8, you must have your child tested with a nationally normed standardized test approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education or the Statewide tests administered to public school students. The test results in math and reading/language arts or the results of the Statewide tests must be included in the annual portfolio. The following are approved tests:

6. You must have your child evaluated by a qualified evaluator and submit the evaluator’s certification to the superintendent by June 30. 

• Your child’s portfolio must be submitted for an annual written evaluation by (1) a licensed psychologist, (2) a teacher certified by the state (with two years of teaching experience), (3) or a nonpublic school teacher or administrator (who must have at least two years’ teaching experience in the last 10 years in public or nonpublic schools). At the request of the homeschooling parent/supervisor, a person with other qualifications may conduct the evaluation with the prior consent of the local superintendent. The supervisor and supervisor's spouse are not allowed to be the evaluator.

• The evaluation must be based on an interview of your child and a review of the portfolio, and it “shall certify whether or not an appropriate education is occurring.” State law defines an “appropriate education” as “instruction in the required subjects for the time required in this act and in which the student demonstrates sustained progress in the overall program.”

• By June 30 each year, you must submit to the local superintendent a copy of the evaluator’s certification that your child is receiving an appropriate education.

 

 **The above information can be found here: Pennsylvania Homeschool Laws (hslda.org)