Homeschooling Toolkit
Home Education and Private Tutoring Guide
Watch This Walkthrough of our Homeschool Toolkit!
Step 1: Unenroll From Current School
*if registering for school for the first time, skip to step 2*
Contact your school’s administration office and fill out appropriate paperwork, including a withdrawal form.
Withdrawing before the school year starts:
Date
Dear (Official’s Name):
We are writing to inform you that our child(ren), (Child(ren)’s Names(s)), will not be reenrolling at (School Name) for the coming school year. He/she/they will instead be homeschooling according to Act 169. Please remove his/her/their names from your school records.
We will submit our affidavit and objectives to the school district in compliance with the homeschool law of Pennsylvania.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
(Your Name)
Withdrawing during the school year:
Date
Dear (Official’s Name):
We are writing to inform you that we are withdrawing our child(ren), (Child(ren)’s Names(s)), from (School Name) for the remainder of school year. He/she/they will instead be homeschooling according to Act 169. Please remove his/her/their names from your school records.
We will submit our affidavit and objectives to the school district in compliance with the homeschool law of Pennsylvania.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
(Your Name)
Step 2: Homeschooling Paperwork
*Created based on Pennsylvania’s Homeschooling Law*
Provide state required paperwork for homeschooling by July 31st of the current year
(unless unenrolling mid year, then submit upon removal).
Required paperwork includes:
Affidavit
Requires notary
Elementary (K-6)
Secondary (7-12)
Unsworn Declaration
Does not require notary
Elementary (K-6)
Secondary (7-12)
Objectives/Goals/Syllabus
Objectives: what you’re going to work on to achieve your goals
Goals: overall learning outcomes
Syllabus: outlines course content, expectations, and schedule to reach those goals
Health Forms
Immunization Records
OR Exemption Form
Current Year’s Dental Records
OR a letter from dentist that the child has been seen
Required for:
Initial Registration
Grades 3 and 7
Step 3: Choose Curriculum
Create the curriculum for your child, including the following:
Mandatory Subjects to Teach
Reading
Science
Math
Fire Safety
Extra Curricular Activities
Homeschoolers are still permitted to participate in sports and other activities provided through the district school.
Optional Additional Curriculum Considerations for the Parent
Full Curriculum
Individually Chosen Subjects
The content of each subject is chosen separately.
Step 4: Record Keeping
Portfolios for all ages must include:
Attendance Record
Can be in the form of a calendar, chart, record in a notebook, lesson planner, etc.
Reading Log
Examples of Work
Statewide Test Results
Depending on what stage your child is in, the portfolio may require additional homeschooling information, such as:
Elementary Portfolio Checklist (Grades K-6)
(These checklists are not required but can help you stay organized.)
- English (spelling, reading, and writing)
- Arithmetic
- Science
- Geography
- United States and Pennsylvania History
- Civics
- Safety Education (regular and coninuous fire safety instruction)
- Health and physiology
- Physical Education
- Music
- Art
Secondary Portfolio Checklist (Grades 7-12)
(These checklists are not required but can help you stay organized.)
- English (language, literature, speech and composition)
- Science
- Geography
- Social Studies (civics, world history, U.S. and Pennsylvania history)
- Mathematics (general, algebra and geometry)
- Arts and Humanities
- Music
- Physical Education
- Health
- Safety Education (regular and continuous fire safety instruction)
Grades 9-12 must complete following minimum courses:
- English – 4 years
- Mathematics – 3 years
- Science – 3 years
- Social Studies – 3 years
- Arts and Humanities – 2 years
Electives may include: economics, biology, chemistry, foreign languages, trigonometry, and more!
Graduating seniors wanting a “Supervisor Issued Diploma” will require their high school transcript and 2 copies of the diploma.
Step 5: Evaluations
*Your evaluator may have their own forms*
Pennsylvania law requires that each home education student be interviewed, and their portfolio reviewed by a qualified home education evaluator, each school year.
You must have/bring:
Portfolio
Reading Log
Attendance Log
Test Scores
(where applicable)
Child
12th grade evaluations are more extensive in review than a yearly evaluation, which could include evidence of previous yearly evaluation results. When a senior high school student has completed all the requirements, the evaluator must co-sign the diploma provided by PDE to confirm the student is suitable for graduation.
Step 6: End of Year Submission
The evaluator’s written certification that an appropriate education is occurring must be submitted by the home education supervisor to the superintendent of the student’s district of residence by June 30 of each school year. Just in case, you should ALWAYS get receipts of paperwork for your records!
Other Items and Information to Consider
Homeschooling Styles
Classical
Charlotte Mason
Traditional
Waldorf
Online
Montessori
Delight-Directed
Unit Study
Learning Styles
Auditory
Visual
Kinesthetic
Combination
