You Don't Have to Figure This Out Alone.

If you're thinking about homeschooling in Pennsylvania and you have no idea where to start — this is your first stop. You don't need a curriculum, a schedule, or a full plan. You just need to know three things Pennsylvania actually requires, and how simple the first step really is.

"I really want to homeschool my kids next year. I'm overwhelmed with all the information out there — what needs to be done, how to get started with the district. Does anyone know where to begin?"

— A question asked by hundreds of Pennsylvania families every year. This page is for you.

Just Tell Me What to Do

  1. 1

    File Your Affidavit by August 1st

    Before your first day of homeschool, Pennsylvania asks one thing of you: a notarized affidavit filed with your local superintendent by August 1st each year. Think of it as your annual "we're doing this" declaration to the district. That's it — that's step one.

  2. 2

    Log Your Learning in Real Time

    Pennsylvania requires 900 hours (or 180 days) per year across 11 subject areas for grades K–6. You're likely covering most of these in everyday life already. The one thing that matters: write it down as it happens — one sentence in the moment is worth more legally than a beautifully reconstructed week written on Sunday night.

  3. 3

    Schedule Your Annual Evaluator Review

    Once a year, a certified evaluator reviews your portfolio and signs off that your child is making progress. They submit one letter to the district — your portfolio stays home with you. That's the finish line for the year.

Pennsylvania Act 169 — for organizational reference only. Verify legal questions with HSLDA (hslda.org) or CHAP (chaponline.com).

What Pennsylvania Actually Requires for K–6

Eleven subject areas. You're probably doing most of them already.

✓ English
✓ Arithmetic
✓ Science
✓ Geography
✓ History of the US & PA
✓ Civics
✓ Health & Physiology
✓ Physical Education
✓ Music
✓ Art
✓ Safety Education
A note for parents with rising 4th graders: Pennsylvania requires standardized testing in grades 3 and 5 in reading/language arts and math. If your child is finishing 3rd grade in public school this year, your first homeschool year (4th grade) won't require testing — but you'll want to plan for 5th grade now. Easy to get ahead of.

Your Log Doesn't Need to Be Perfect

It just needs to be contemporaneous — written in real time, not reconstructed at the end of the month. A sentence a day, jotted in the moment, holds more legal weight than a beautifully organized week written on Friday night.

The Wellspring Academy Learning Log is built exactly for this. Session-based, free, and mapped to Pennsylvania's required subjects — so you can spend five minutes logging and get back to actually learning alongside your kids.

Open the Learning Log

Find Your People First

The homeschool community in Pennsylvania is active, welcoming, and full of families who felt exactly like you do right now. Many families find a co-op first — and figure out the paperwork second. Two trusted starting points:

CHAP — Christian Homeschool Association of PA

Evaluator directory, co-op listings, and legal support

chaponline.com

HSLDA — Home School Legal Defense Association

Legal guidance, state law summaries, and member support

hslda.org