Maryland vs Pennsylvania: Homeschool Laws Compared

Maryland and Pennsylvania sit in the same tier: both require notice and a periodic assessment. They still differ on 5 of the 9 rules compared: hours or days per year, required subjects, testing or evaluation, progress reports, and compulsory school ages.

Rules compared

9

Differences

5

Same in both

4

The rules, side by side

Rows where the two states differ are marked. Tap a state name for its full guide, deadlines, and sources.

Figures are the same verified compliance data shown on each state's page. Requirements change; confirm with your state before you rely on one.

Moving from Maryland to Pennsylvania

Once you are a Pennsylvania resident you homeschool under Pennsylvania's rules. These are the ones that change.

1. Start logging from your first day: Pennsylvania counts 900 hours (990 for grades 7-12) over 180 days a year, and Maryland set no minimum.
2. Pennsylvania's required list adds geography, history, civics, and safety and drops social studies compared with Maryland's. Match Pennsylvania's wording in your records.
3. The assessment rule changes from portfolio review, annually in Maryland to professional evaluation, annually in Pennsylvania.
4. Reports go from on request in Maryland to once a year in Pennsylvania.
5. Compulsory school ages are 6-18 in Pennsylvania against 5-18 in Maryland, so check whether your youngest or oldest is now inside or outside the rule.

Moving from Pennsylvania to Maryland

Once you are a Maryland resident you homeschool under Maryland's rules. These are the ones that change.

1. Maryland sets no hour or day minimum. Keep the log anyway; it is what you show if anyone asks, and what you build a transcript from.
2. Maryland's required list adds social studies and drops geography, history, civics, and safety compared with Pennsylvania's. Match Maryland's wording in your records.
3. The assessment rule changes from professional evaluation, annually in Pennsylvania to portfolio review, annually in Maryland.
4. Reports go from once a year in Pennsylvania to on request in Maryland.
5. Compulsory school ages are 5-18 in Maryland against 6-18 in Pennsylvania, so check whether your youngest or oldest is now inside or outside the rule.

What stays the same

Maryland and Pennsylvania match on notice of intent, the portfolio, ESA funding, and public school sports access. Your habits on those carry over unchanged.

Do your records transfer?

Neither Maryland nor Pennsylvania takes homeschool records from another state, and there is no transfer process between them. You keep your own: the hours or attendance log, work samples, and any grades or transcripts. Those are what the new state, and later a college, may ask to see. Homeschool Fox keeps them in one account that moves with your family.

Keep comparing

• Delaware vs Maryland 6 rules differ
• Delaware vs Pennsylvania 7 rules differ
• District of Columbia vs Maryland 3 rules differ
• Florida vs Maryland 5 rules differ
• Florida vs Pennsylvania 5 rules differ
• Maryland vs Virginia 4 rules differ
• Maryland vs West Virginia 6 rules differ
• New Jersey vs Pennsylvania 7 rules differ
• New York vs Pennsylvania 7 rules differ
• Ohio vs Pennsylvania 5 rules differ
• Pennsylvania vs West Virginia 7 rules differ
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• States That Require Homeschool Testing or Evaluation All 19 states in one table
• States That Require Homeschool Progress Reports All 22 states in one table