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{Home Education and Private Tutoring}
In 1988, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed Act 169. This law amended the Pennsylvania School Code to allow parents or guardians to homeschool their children as an option to compulsory school attendance. This law specifies the requirements and responsibilities of the parents and the school district where the family lives. PDE has issued a Basic Education Circular (BEC) to provide school districts with a list of nationally normed standardized tests, per the law. Sample affidavits which may be used by the supervisor of the home education program for children at the elementary school level or secondary school level are an attachment to the BEC. There are several additional requirements for homeschooling students who have been identified as handicapped per the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et. seq.). You may click on Documents to the left to see a list, and then click on the name of the document to view it, or you may read through the Frequently Asked Questions, with links to the appropriate documents and sections of the law.
PDE developed a list entitled Home Education Organizations Serving Pennsylvania Families, which includes national, state and regional organizations. Some organizations are applying for PDE recognition, using the Home Education Association Application for Recognition, so they may evaluate portfolios and issue a homeschool diploma.
Private tutoring is another option for satisfying compulsory school attendance requirements. For those of you interested in the private tutor section of the School Code, we include the law and related regulations.
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