Here’s how Pennsylvania’s home education law

Would read if HB 2560 had passed in the form

that it had following the November 13, 2002,

meeting of the House Education Committee.

[Note: strikeouts indicate language removed by the education

committee while underscores indicate language added by the

education committee]

(a) It is the policy of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to

preserve the primary right and the obligation of parents,

guardians or other persons having legal custody of a child to

choose a home education program for the child.

choose the education and training for the child.

(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to grant by

implication or otherwise to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or

any of its officers, agencies or subdivisions any right or

authority to control, manage, approve, supervise or make any

suggestion, rule, standard, regulation, policy, procedure or

requirement as to the control, management or supervision of a

home education program.

(b) Definitions.— as used in this section, the following

words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this

subsection:

“Appropriate education” shall mean a program consisting of

instruction in the required subjects for the time required by

this act and in which the student demonstrates progress in the

program.

(c) The requirements contained in sections 1511, 1511.1 and

1605 shall not apply to home education programs. A home

education program shall not be construed as a nonpublic school

under the provisions of this act.

(c) (d) Notwithstanding the subjects enumerated in subsection

(f), this section does not require the home education program to

include in its curriculum any concept, topic or practice in

conflict with a parent's, guardian's or custodian's religious

beliefs or to exclude from its curriculum any concept, topic or

practice consistent with the parent's, guardian's or custodian's

religious beliefs.

(d) A home education program shall be defined as instruction

primarily supervised by the parent, guardian or custodian of the

child. The parent, guardian or custodian shall be the supervisor

of the home education program.

(e) Each year, a parent, guardian or custodian who elects to

supervise instruction in a home education program shall notify

in writing the superintendent of the school district of

residence within thirty (30) three (3) days of establishing the program.

The notice need only contain the name, residence address and age

of each child who shall be enrolled in the home education

program and the name of the supervisor.

program and the name of the supervisor of the home education

program who shall be responsible for supervising the

instruction. A parent, guardian or custodian shall notify in

writing the superintendent within thirty (30) days of the

termination of the home education program.

(f) A child who is enrolled in a home education program and

whose education is therefore under the direct supervision of the

child's parent, guardian or other person having legal custody

shall be deemed to have met the requirements of section 1327 if

the home education program provides a minimum of one hundred

eighty (180) days of instruction or nine hundred (900) hours of

instruction per year at the elementary level, and one hundred

eighty (180) days of instruction or nine hundred ninety (990)

hours per year at the secondary level.

(1) The following subjects shall be taught each year to

every student enrolled in a home education program of compulsory

school age through grade eight in the English language and from

English texts or resources: English, to include spelling,

reading and writing; mathematics; science; health; physical

education; art; and music. These subjects may be taught as

separate subjects or integrated into other appropriate subjects.

The following subjects shall be taught for at least one academic

year to every student of compulsory school age through grade

eight: history of the United States, history of Pennsylvania,

geography, civics and safety education. These subjects may be

taught as separate subjects or integrated into other appropriate

subjects.

(2) At the secondary school level, grade nine through

completion, the following courses shall be taught: English, to

include language, literature, speech and composition; science;

geography; social studies, to include civics, world history,

history of the United States and history of Pennsylvania;

mathematics; art; music; physical education; health; and safety

education. The courses of study may include, at the discretion

of the supervisor of the home education program, economics,

biology, chemistry, foreign languages, algebra, geometry,

trigonometry and other age-appropriate courses. The following

minimum courses at the secondary school level, grade nine

through completion, are established as a requirement for

graduation in a home education program:

(i) Four years or equivalent credits of English.

(ii) Three years or equivalent credits of mathematics.

(iii) Three years or equivalent credits of science.

(iv) Three years or equivalent credits of social studies.

(v) Two years or equivalent credits of arts and humanities.

(3) (i) An annual evaluation shall be conducted of the

student’s educational progress to determine if the child has

been provided an appropriate education. The evaluation shall be

performed by a home education evaluator that has met the

requirements set forth by the State Board of Education and has

been approved by the Department of Education. The home education

evaluator must hold a certificate to teach in the Pennsylvania

public schools and have at least three years of teaching

experience in a Pennsylvania public or nonpublic school within

the last ten years.

(ii) The supervisor shall choose an approved home education

evaluator to evaluate the home education program. The evaluation

shall be based on an interview of the child and a review of the

child’s work and any other documentation that demonstrates

whether the child is receiving an appropriate education.

(iii) The approved home education evaluator shall file the

annual evaluation with the school district of residence by June

30 of the school year to determine if an appropriate education

has been provided. If an appropriate education has not been

provided as required by this act or the supervisor does not have

an evaluation performed, the child shall be enrolled in the

school district of residence at the beginning of the next school

term. The school district shall have jurisdiction over the

placement of the child persuant to section 1531.

(g) A student who has completed the graduation requirements

set forth in subsection (f) as determined by a home education

evaluator shall no longer be subject to this

section or to the compulsory attendance laws of this

Commonwealth. Such student shall for all purposes be considered

a high school graduate and shall receive all the rights,

benefits and privileges pertaining thereto.

Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

Click here to see Pennsylvania’s Current Home Education Law

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