Pennsylvania Homeschool Laws and Requirements
What Pennsylvania requires, in plain English — and a free way to track it without spreadsheets. Log activities, watch your pace, and generate records when you need them.
The short answer
Pennsylvania has moderate homeschool requirements. Families meet either 900 hours of instruction or 180 school days, and you'll file notice with your local school district.
Pennsylvania at a glance
Verified September 2026- Required hours
- 900 hrs/year, 990 in grades 7-12
- School days (either/or)
- 180 days/year
- Required subjects
- 11 subjects
- Notice
- Required each year
- Testing / evaluation
- Professional evaluation
- Portfolio
- Required
Jump to the full Pennsylvania requirements for plain-English detail on each of these.
Free tool
Calculate your homeschool pace
Pennsylvania accepts 900 hours or 180 days. If you are counting hours, 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
The records Pennsylvania asks you to keep, plus the rest of your year, in one place. No spreadsheets, no lost notebooks.
- Hours toward your 900-hour goal
- Required subjects
- Days attended
- Portfolio records
- Professional evaluation
- Daily activity logs
- Printable PDF reports
- 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 and a set amount of instructional time. 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 at least 900 instructional hours per year, or 180 school days instead. 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.
Each homeschool year in Pennsylvania begins with a notice of intent filed with your local school district, on the schedule the withdrawal section below sets out. Read the required contents before drafting, since Pennsylvania sets them. The withdrawal section below covers the form and where it goes.
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 ties the school year together: work samples and evidence that you taught the required subjects.
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 add up on their own, ready to print whenever you need them.
Notice requirements
Notice is required
Yes, Pennsylvania requires you to file notice of your intent to homeschool. You must notify your local school district. The notice is filed again each school year.
Need a head start? Use the free Notice of Intent generator to draft your Pennsylvania filing, then check the withdrawal section below for the form or affidavit Pennsylvania expects it on.
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 log the year in Homeschool Fox.
Additional notes
180 days of instruction, or 900 hours at the elementary level and 990 at the secondary level; either one satisfies 24 P.S. § 13-1327.1(c). Annual portfolio review by an 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 statesHow Pennsylvania compares
Nine rules side by side with the states families move between most, and what changes in each direction.
- Pennsylvania vs Delaware (7 rules differ)
- Pennsylvania vs Florida (5 rules differ)
- Pennsylvania vs Maryland (4 rules differ)
- Pennsylvania vs New Jersey (7 rules differ)
- Pennsylvania vs New York (6 rules differ)
- Pennsylvania vs Ohio (5 rules differ)
- Pennsylvania vs West Virginia (8 rules differ)
Want the cross-state comparison? Homeschool laws by state covers the legal regime in every state side by side.
Common mistakes in Pennsylvania
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Logging hours without the reading list
Pennsylvania asks for a contemporaneous log of reading materials by title alongside work samples. Reconstructing a year of book titles from memory in June is the single most common portfolio scramble in the state, and it is entirely avoidable by noting titles as you finish them.
Free Pennsylvania printables
Three ready-to-use PDFs for Pennsylvania homeschoolers. No account needed.
Templates, not legal advice. Confirm the current rule with your state or district.
Get notified when Pennsylvania changes its rules
We track Pennsylvania's statute and department pages and email you when the requirements move. Free, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Pennsylvania last verified September 19, 2026.
Reviewed and sourced
Last verified: September 2026. We review Pennsylvania's requirements against official sources and update this page when the rules change.
Our monitor last confirmed the source pages were live on Sep 28, 2026.
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
Pennsylvania in context: one of 19 states that require hours or days · one of 16 states that require testing or evaluation · one of 36 states that require notice · one of 6 states that require a portfolio · one of 10 states that require progress reports · one of 31 states that name required subjects.
- How to Start Homeschooling in Pennsylvania A step-by-step guide from withdrawal to your first logged day.
- Homeschooling High School in Pennsylvania Credits, GPA, transcripts, and graduation.
- Record Keeping in Pennsylvania What to document, how to organize it, and staying compliant.
- How to Withdraw From School in Pennsylvania The steps, the letter, and timing to avoid truancy issues.
- Moving to Pennsylvania What to file when you arrive and whether your records transfer.
- Public School Sports in Pennsylvania Whether homeschoolers can play, what it takes, and who to ask.
- Homeschool Hours Required in Pennsylvania The number, what counts toward it, and the pace to hit it.
- Required Subjects in Pennsylvania The list, how much time each needs, and proving you taught them.
- Pennsylvania Letter of Intent Who to file with, when it's due, and a free generator.
- Pennsylvania Year End Report What goes in it, when it's due, and who reviews it.
- Pennsylvania Homeschool Portfolio What belongs in it, who can ask to see it, and a printable checklist.
- Homeschool Testing in Pennsylvania What the state asks for, when, and low-score rules.
- Homeschool Field Trips in Philadelphia Places to go, how long a visit takes, and what it counts toward.
More on homeschooling in Pennsylvania
Law changes, filing walkthroughs, and the questions Pennsylvania families ask most.
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