Pennsylvania homeschool requirements
Track your Pennsylvania homeschool requirements without spreadsheets
Homeschool Fox helps you understand Pennsylvania's requirements, log activities, track progress, and generate records when you need them.
Pennsylvania at a glance
Verified May 2026- Required hours
- 900 hrs/year
- School days
- 180 days/year
- Required subjects
- 11 subjects
- Notice
- Required
- Testing / evaluation
- Professional evaluation
- Portfolio
- Required
Jump to the full Pennsylvania requirements for plain-English detail on each of these.
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Calculate your homeschool pace
Pennsylvania requires 900 hours/year. Enter how far you've come and we'll show you the daily pace to finish on time.
Leave at 0 if you haven't started tracking yet.
Add your school year end date to see your pace.
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What Homeschool Fox tracks for Pennsylvania
Everything Pennsylvania expects you to keep, in one place — no spreadsheets, no lost notebooks.
- Hours toward your 900-hour goal
- Required subjects & core hours
- Daily activity logs
- Attendance records
- Notes & portfolio records
- Printable PDF reports
- High school transcripts
- State-specific progress tracking
See it work
Log a homeschool day in seconds
Type or speak what you did in plain English. Homeschool Fox sorts it into subjects, adds up the time, and updates your Pennsylvania progress automatically.
You write
Homeschool Fox logs
- Reading 45 min
- Math 30 min
- History / Social Studies 20 min
Today's total
1 hr 35 min
Your Pennsylvania requirements, in plain English
Tap any item for the details.
Notice requirements
Required
Required hours
900 hrs/yr
Required subjects
11 subjects
Testing / evaluation
Required
Recordkeeping & portfolio
Portfolio required
Withdrawing from public school
Letter + notice
Full guide
Homeschooling in Pennsylvania: the complete guide
Pennsylvania treats homeschooling as a recognized alternative to public school, with a structured path families follow each year: a filing, instructional time, and evidence the learning happened. The state's compulsory school-age band is 6-18. A child outside those ages isn't legally required to be in formal instruction at all.
The Pennsylvania statute requires families to log at least 900 instructional hours per year spread over at least 180 school days. Families choose their own schedule. Some homeschool year-round at a gentle pace while others front-load hours during peak seasons. Field trips, co-ops, and self-directed study typically count alongside formal lessons.
The one paperwork moment each homeschool year in Pennsylvania is the notice of intent filed with your local school district before (or soon after) teaching starts. Districts vary slightly in expected format, but the core contents (student name, grade, and a statement of intent) are the same everywhere in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania expects professional evaluation annually, which gives families a checkpoint for measuring progress rather than a surprise at the end of the school year. In Pennsylvania, the portfolio is what ties the school year together: work samples, an activity log, and evidence that the required subjects were actually taught, ready for an evaluator's review.
Instruction must cover english, math, science, geography, history, civics, safety, health, physical education, music, and art, though families have wide latitude in how they teach each topic. Homeschool Fox was built to make the bookkeeping side of Pennsylvania homeschooling invisible. Log the day in plain English or by voice, and the hours, attendance, and subject coverage roll up automatically into the reports families need at evaluation time or the end of the year.
Notice requirements
Notice is required
You must notify your local school district of your intent to homeschool.
Need a head start? Use the free Notice of Intent generator to draft a Pennsylvania-ready letter.
Deeper guides: how to write a notice of intent to homeschool covers the language admins look for, and when and where to file your notice of intent covers state-by-state deadlines and recipients.
Generate your notice of intentReporting calendar
Pennsylvania homeschoolers file on this schedule. Put each date on your calendar — missing one can put you out of compliance.
| Filing | Due |
|---|---|
| Affidavit | August 1 |
| Annual evaluation | June 30 |
Homeschool Fox reminds you before each Pennsylvania deadline and builds the reports you file. Start tracking free.
Withdrawing from public school
File a notarized affidavit (or unsworn declaration) with your district superintendent, listing your educational objectives by subject; the affidavit is due August 1 each year and within a reasonable time when you start mid-year. Notify your child's current school in writing so attendance reflects the change. Keep a copy of the affidavit and your evaluator's annual certification (due June 30).
For the play-by-play, how to withdraw your child from public school walks through the conversation, the timing, and the paperwork. What to send the district when you pull your child covers exactly what the letter should and shouldn't say.
Assessment requirements
Assessment is required
- Type:
- Professional evaluation
- Frequency:
- Annually
Standardized testing for homeschoolers walks through which test to choose, where to register, and how to prep. If Pennsylvania lets you choose between portfolio review and a test, homeschool portfolio reviews vs standardized tests covers when each option is the better call.
Portfolio & records
Portfolio is required
Under 24 P.S. § 13-1327.1(e), families keep a contemporaneous log of reading materials by title plus samples of the student's writings, worksheets, workbooks, and creative materials. Standardized tests in math and reading/language arts are included in the portfolio in grades 3, 5, and 8.
Building a high-school transcript? Start with our free transcript template. Homeschool portfolio reviews vs standardized tests covers what evaluators actually look at and how to curate samples without drowning in worksheets.
Required subjects
Pennsylvania requires instruction in the following subjects.
Looking for curriculum?
Browse our curriculum directory to find the right fit for your family, then track your hours with Homeschool Fox to stay compliant with Pennsylvania's requirements.
Additional notes
900 hours (elementary) or 990 hours (secondary). Annual portfolio review by evaluator required. Affidavit with educational objectives due August 1.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to notify anyone to homeschool in Pennsylvania?
How many hours do I need to homeschool in Pennsylvania?
Does Pennsylvania require testing for homeschoolers?
Do I need to keep a portfolio in Pennsylvania?
What subjects must I teach in Pennsylvania?
Nearby states
View all statesWant the cross-state comparison? Homeschool laws by state covers the legal regime in every state side by side.
Free Pennsylvania printables
Two ready-to-use PDFs for Pennsylvania homeschoolers. No account needed.
Templates, not legal advice. Confirm the current rule with your state or district.
Reviewed and sourced
Last verified: May 2026. We review Pennsylvania's requirements against official sources and update this page when the rules change.
Sources
Homeschool Fox is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. We turn public homeschool requirements into practical tracking tools for families. Always confirm details with your state or a qualified advisor.
More Pennsylvania guides
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