Frequently asked questions
Answers for Pennsylvania homeschool evaluations
Wondering what is required, how the online evaluation works, or what to do for high school records? Start here. We have gathered our most helpful answers and organized them so you can find what you need quickly.
Warm guidance, clear next steps, and no stress.
Find the answer you need
Choose a topic below, then open any question for the details. We have kept the full set of questions families ask most often, with clearer wording and links where they help.
Pennsylvania homeschool requirements
These answers point you toward the Pennsylvania requirements families ask about most often. We always encourage families to review the law directly and choose what works for their student.
Pennsylvania supervisors file a notarized affidavit or an unsworn declaration (signed under penalty of perjury) with the superintendent of the school district of residence. The first filing is due before the home education program begins. After that, an updated filing is due each year on August 1 for as long as the student remains in the program.
The affidavit or declaration also includes proposed education objectives for the school year, along with evidence of immunizations and required health or medical services, or exemptions when they apply.
During the year, families maintain a portfolio that includes a log, kept as instruction occurs, that lists reading materials (typically by title); samples of student work; and evidence that the student met the required days or hours of instruction. Students in 3rd, 5th, and 8th grade also need nationally normed standardized achievement results in reading/language arts and mathematics (or applicable statewide tests in those grades), from the department’s list of approved tests.
Each student needs an annual written evaluation from a qualified evaluator. By June 30, the supervisor must provide the evaluator’s certification to the superintendent, stating whether an appropriate education occurred for that school year.
For the most current details, we recommend reviewing the Pennsylvania Department of Education Home Education Program page.
Your evaluator reviews the student’s portfolio and interview answers to confirm whether an appropriate education is occurring under Pennsylvania home education requirements.
The portfolio is expected to include work samples, a log of reading materials kept as instruction occurs, documentation of required days or hours of instruction, and standardized test results when they apply. The goal is not to make the process stressful. It is to give your evaluator a clear picture of the work your student completed during the year.
For elementary students, Pennsylvania law lists these subject areas:
- English, including spelling, reading, and writing
- Arithmetic
- Science
- Geography
- Civics
- History of the United States and Pennsylvania
- Health and physiology
- Safety education, including regular and continuous instruction in the dangers and prevention of fires
- Physical education
- Music
- Art
The law says these subjects must be covered in elementary school. It does not say every subject must be taught every day or that each one needs to be a separate course. For example, safety may be covered alongside health.
Students in 3rd and 5th grade must also take standardized achievement tests from the approved list on the state website. We encourage you to research the requirements and decide what works best for your family and student.
Middle school is part of Pennsylvania's secondary school requirements, which cover grades 7 through 12. These students must have:
- English, including language, literature, speech, and composition
- Mathematics, including general mathematics, algebra, and geometry
- Science
- Geography
- Social studies, including civics
- History, including world history, United States history, and Pennsylvania history
- Health
- Safety education, including regular and continuous instruction in the dangers and prevention of fires
- Physical education
- Music
- Art
The law says these subjects must be covered during secondary education. It does not say each subject must be taught every day or in its own separate course.
Students in 8th grade must also take standardized achievement tests from the approved list on the state website.
High school is also part of Pennsylvania's secondary school requirements for grades 7 through 12. These students must have:
- English, including language, literature, speech, and composition
- Mathematics, including general mathematics, algebra, and geometry
- Science
- Geography
- Social studies, including civics
- History, including world history, United States history, and Pennsylvania history
- Health
- Safety education, including regular and continuous instruction in the dangers and prevention of fires
- Physical education
- Music
- Art
For graduation, Pennsylvania requires:
- 4 years of English
- 3 years of science
- 3 years of math
- 3 years of social studies
- 2 years of humanities
We encourage families to research what counts as a year or course completion for their student. The Pennsylvania Department of Education home education page is a helpful starting point.
Getting started
These answers are for families deciding whether The Homeschool Evaluator is the right fit and what to do before starting the form.
The Homeschool Evaluator was started by Jennifer Horrocks, a teacher, evaluator, and homeschooling mom. The process was built with those experiences in mind so families can complete year-end evaluations in a way that feels simple, supportive, and less stressful.
Online evaluations let you work from home without carrying books, artwork, portfolios, and other materials to another location. The questions and student interview can be completed at your own pace, in a familiar place, with clear guidance along the way.
Start with the What You Will Need page. Watch the video, read the list, and review the examples of the 3 to 4 photos you will upload. Gather those materials before you begin.
Once you have about 20 to 30 minutes and your student is available to answer questions, go to the evaluation page, choose the correct grade-level option, and complete payment. A link will be sent to your email so you can open the form. When the form is complete, submit it and it will be on its way to The Homeschool Evaluator.
If you have another student, repeat the process for that student.
Checkout only takes a few minutes. After payment is processed, you will receive an email with a link to begin the actual evaluation form.
If you review the What You Will Need page first and gather your materials ahead of time, the evaluation form usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Every student is different, so your time may vary.
The evaluation process
A few common questions about what happens after you begin or submit the evaluation form.
The evaluation is not meant to feel like a pass/fail test for your student. A qualified PA evaluator reviews the information you submit and confirms whether an appropriate education is occurring under Pennsylvania requirements.
The form is designed to walk you through what your evaluator needs. If something important is missing, your evaluator may follow up so the evaluation can be completed as smoothly as possible.
Our goal is to return completed teacher evaluations as quickly as we can.
Most evaluations happen during April, May, and June. Since each evaluation is reviewed individually, we appreciate your patience during those busy months.
Each student needs a separate purchase and a separate evaluation form. Pay for the first student, complete and submit that student's form, then return to the store and purchase the next student's form.
This keeps each student's information complete and makes sure every student receives the correct evaluation. Transcript requests also need to be completed as separate transactions.
Special situations
Some families have IEP questions, accelerated course plans, or early graduation situations. These answers explain what The Homeschool Evaluator can currently support.
It depends on the type of IEP.
At this time, The Homeschool Evaluator does not complete evaluations for students with a current Special Education IEP. Pennsylvania has additional requirements for home education programs when a student has been identified as needing special education services, excluding gifted education.
If your student has only a Gifted IEP, The Homeschool Evaluator can complete the evaluation. If your student previously had an IEP but no longer has a current Special Education IEP, we can usually complete the evaluation.
Some students work hard, take extra courses, double up, or finish requirements early. Since a year can also represent course completion, such as block scheduling in a public school, we recommend separating courses across multiple years when needed.
For example, if a student completed two English courses in one year, you may list one in 9th grade and one in 10th grade.
If you want evaluations for multiple years, such as 9th and 10th grade, you will need separate evaluations for each year. We cannot put multiple years on one evaluation. You may choose to list all courses under one year and submit one evaluation to your school district, but that evaluation will show only one grade level.
If your student has completed all graduation courses and requirements, the same idea applies. Courses can be separated across the four high school years. For graduation and a state diploma, The Homeschool Evaluator needs to complete the senior evaluation with diploma form.
High school, diplomas, and transcripts
These answers help families think through senior evaluations, diplomas, transcripts, and record keeping.
Yes. Pennsylvania allows homeschooled students to receive a state-recognized supervisor-issued diploma when the student has met the home education graduation requirements.
For a supervisor-issued diploma, the diploma must be signed by the student’s twelfth grade evaluator. That evaluator must be the same evaluator whose twelfth grade evaluation is submitted to the school district for the student’s graduation year.
The Homeschool Evaluator can help with this through the Graduating Senior Year-End Evaluation WITH Diploma option. The senior evaluation and diploma are completed together.
The diploma is part of Pennsylvania's homeschool graduation process when the student has met the lawful graduation requirements and the diploma is properly signed. Colleges commonly ask for a transcript in addition to a diploma, so families should keep strong high school records and check each college's admissions requirements.
Getting a high school transcript through The Homeschool Evaluator is simple. You will enter the courses or subjects, grades, and other needed information for each year into the high school transcript form.
Go to the Evaluations and Transcripts page and order the transcript form. Evaluation forms and transcript forms must be purchased as separate transactions. Once the transcript is created, it is yours to keep. It will be emailed to you so you can print it as needed.
If your student has not graduated yet but needs a transcript for dual enrollment or another reason, they can still get a transcript for completed work. If your student doubled up on classes, graduated early, or is graduating early, we recommend separating courses across the four high school years.
At this time, The Homeschool Evaluator does not keep track of what your student completes year to year.
We encourage you to keep your portfolios, work samples, course lists, and a copy of the completed evaluation form that is returned to you and submitted to your school district. One helpful option is to make a transcript each year so course tracking is easier by senior year or when applying to college.
At this time, no. The Homeschool Evaluator is here to make year-end evaluation time easier, but we do not currently keep long-term course records for students.
We suggest keeping good records, especially in middle school and high school, by listing the courses your student has taken. That will make it much easier to build a transcript when your student graduates or applies to college.
Payment, records, and availability
A few practical details about purchases, refunds, and where The Homeschool Evaluator currently offers evaluations.
Each purchase creates access to an evaluation form for one student. Once payment is processed, the form link is automatically emailed to the address provided at checkout.
Because that form access is created after purchase, we are not able to offer refunds for incomplete submissions. The form is designed to guide you through what your evaluator needs so the process can stay simple and clear.
At this time, The Homeschool Evaluator only completes Pennsylvania evaluations.
We hope to offer evaluations in more states in the future, so please keep checking back.
Ready for the next step?
Gather your materials, then start when you are ready
The easiest path is to review what your evaluator needs first. Once your photos, portfolio details, and student answers are ready, the form usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes.