Brand New to Homeschooling?

• Brand New to Homeschooling?  Start here.

Basics of the PA Home Education Law

• Overview of the PA Home Education Law
• Compulsory School Age
• Affidavit - All you need to know, including links to print-and-use affidavits.
  • Special Ed
  • Objectives - Including samples to help you write your own.
  • Immunizations & Medical Requirements
• Required Days/Hours - Don't stress about this, OK?
• Required Subjects - Don't stress about this either.
  • Fire Safety Resources - Links to coloring pages and other portfolio fodder, plus some actually useful and interesting links.
• Log of Reading Materials - There's some controversy about what the log is required to include. Lots of info here to help you decide how you want to proceed.
• Portfolios - What to include, etc.
  • Portfolio Summaries
  • Portfolio Step-By-Step
• Testing - When to test, where to get a test, and generally what to expect.
• Evaluations - Who can do them, what to look for in an evaluator, etc.
  • Evaluator List - A list of evaluators - you can also find one locally through word-of mouth or use a friend who qualifies.
• Useful Forms - All kinds of forms you may find useful for personal record-keeping and complying with PA law ~ log forms, portfolio helps, affidavit forms, etc. ~ plus links to record-keeping software and an emergency birthday card to print and use.
• Moving to, from, or within PA  - What you need to do and when, legally speaking.
  • Partial-Year Portfolios
• Due Process

Alternatives to the Home Education Law

• Alternatives to the Home Education Law - Overview and Options
• Private Tutor Option
• Public Cyber Charter School
• Public Homebound Instruction
• Umbrella School
• Exclusion Under the Immunization Regulations
• Church School
• Religious Exemption (RFPA)    ~  RFPA News
• Underground (illegal) Homeschooling

Homeschooling High School

• Homeschooling High School
• PA Diploma Programs
• PHEAA issues

Handling School District Problems

• Handling School District Problems - How to proceed when you and the school district disagree on what the law requires.
• Due Process - When and how the school district can challenge your home education program, and how to proceed if it happens.
• Contact info for the PA Department of Education's Homeschool Liaison - These folks are very helpful and will usually back up home educators when a school district asks for something not required by law.
• Legal Assistance

• The Text of the PA Home Education Law and Other Relevant Legal References
• The PA Home Ed Law (at the PDE’s site) - Read it. Then you'll know what is and is not required by law. It's kind of convoluted, but not impossible to understand.
• The PDE's Home Ed page is here; their most recent Basic Education Circular (BEC) on homeschooling can be found here. Please note that the PDE has been changing their web site, so some of my links to their pages may be broken.
• Homeschooling Statistics - Reported annually by the PDE.
• Legislative History and Current Issues

Finding Community

• Listing of Support Groups & Co-ops (PA & DE)
• Delco-Homeschool: A Virtual Support Group for Delaware County, PA
• Homeschooling Gifted Kids in PA (Yahoo Group)

Teaching and Learning

• Curriculum sources (new & used) + Conferences
• Homeschoolers in Public School Extracurriculars (Sports, Clubs, Music Groups) - It's not for everyone, but it's an option for home educated students here in PA thanks to a fairly new law.
• Teaching Reading - Lots of info to peruse if you are in the midst of teaching your children to read.
• Ready for Algebra? - A basic checklist of things a student should know before tackling an algebra course. Helps you know where you're headed in the younger years too.
• Math & Food - It's math! It's food! It's fun!