Homeschooling in Pennsylvania

What Pennsylvania requires

• Notice to authorities: Yes. Annual affidavit by August 1. 180 days OR 900 hours (K-6) / 990 hours (7-12). Portfolio with samples and reading log. Annual evaluator review by certified teacher. Standardized testing in grades 3, 5, 8.
• Instructional days: 180 per year
• Instructional hours: 900 per year
• Portfolio: Required.
• Standardized testing: Required — in grades 3, 5, and 8.
• Annual evaluator: Required.
• Quarterly reports: Not required.
• Filing deadline: August 1
• Portfolio should include: work samples, reading log, standardized tests
• Hours by grade: K-6: 900 hours · 7-12: 990 hours

How to start homeschooling in Pennsylvania

1. File your notice with the state. File a notarized Home Education Program Affidavit with the school district superintendent before August 1 each year. Annual portfolio evaluation required. File online with the state →
2. Plan your school year. Pennsylvania expects 180 instructional days and 900 hours — set your calendar before you start so the count takes care of itself.
3. Put assessment on the calendar. Pennsylvania requires standardized testing in grades 3, 5, and 8 — book the test window early, and keep the results with your records.
4. Line up an evaluator. Pennsylvania requires an annual review by a qualified evaluator — finding one in spring is much easier than in the last week of the year.
5. Keep records from your first day. Attendance, samples of work, and any test or evaluation results — every requirement above is answered from these three, and they're painless to keep daily and miserable to reconstruct in May.

How Anchor helps

Anchor logs every day automatically when you make an activity entry. It builds the portfolio your state expects, generates the attendance PDF, and reminds you about evaluations before they're due.