California Homeschools Info

Home Schooling Requirements (All States)

Meeting Your State's Home Schooling Requirements
While there are no national laws governing the details of home schooling, each state sets it own guidelines and requirements for parents who want to teach their children at home. In some cases, it may be as simple as registering the child with a governing state or local agency (such as a school district), or it may be significantly more complicated. It will be up to you to find out what the requirements are in your state.

You may be able to find this information on the Internet; however, if you are unable to do so, you can contact your state department of education or your local school district. These agencies should be able to give you a copy of whatever your state's guidelines are. In some cases, they will also provide you with an outline and/or materials you will need for each grade level.

One State's Requirements
Let's look at Pennsylvania's Home Schooling Requirements to get an idea of what the basics are. Please note that this is a recap and that you should definitely read the specific law in your state to insure that you will be in compliance with it during the entire time you home school your child. If you have any questions about your state's statute, you should contact the department of education or your local school district.

In Pennsylvania, children are required to attend school from the time they are at least eight years old. To home school in Pennsylvania, you must provide an affidavit to the local school district and must include a list of your educational objectives for each subject each year. You must maintain a daily log of your teaching for 180 days each year, and you must create a portfolio of samples, reading materials, workbooks, etc. Your child must be tested using standardized testing in grades 3, 5, and 8. In addition, parents must have their child's progress evaluated by a certified teacher or a licensed psychologist who will meet with the student and review the log and portfolio.

Again, note: the above does not constitute the Pennsylvania law. If you are plannig to home school, it is your responsibility to become fully informed about your state's requirements.