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Homeschooling in PA - Easy as 1,2,3
Getting Started...
When you are ready to start homeschooling, submit the following forms to your local school district:
- A Cover Letter withdrawing your children from school to homeschool, or stating that you are homeschooling on your child's 6th birthday (if never enrolled).
- An Unsworn Declaration in Lieu of Affidatvit or a notarized Homeschool Affidavit.
- Objectives - You can print off these objectives lists to submit them each year. You do not need to over comply with detailed objectives according to the law! Elementary Objectives Secondary Objectives.
- Most moms I talk to consider the Unsworn Declaration or notarized Affidavit as evidence of medical exams. However, you can fill out and submit an Medical Exemption Form.
Step 1 - Homeschool
Homeschool - 180 Days, Keep a book list/work log
Step 2 - Get Evaluated
Make a Portfolio that includes samples of work, attendance record showing 180 Days, and a Book List. Get evaluated by a certified teacher, and submit the evaluation slip by June 30.
- Achievement Tests for 3rd, 5th, and 8th grade. Results must be in portfolio. You can use this easy online CAT Test Website: Academic Excellence (only costs $20 with coupon code FIRSTCAT.)
- Get your portfolio Evaluated - There are park days in May and June in Pittsburgh, where evaluators offer their services for free or barter. Contact Us for more Info.
Step 3 - Send Annual Documents to Your Local School District
Most Families submit the current school year evaluation form (Due June 30), and Unsworn Declaration in lieu of affidavit or the notarized Affidavit, Objectives, and Medical Exemption form (Due Aug 1) together by the June 30 deadline. This makes sense because you only need to interact with the school district once per year, rather than twice.
It is recommended to send all correspondence with the school district by certified mail to ensure that they receive it. But, this is not necessary.
The Cover Letter below assumes you are submitting both the evaluation form (due June 30)for the prior school year, and the unsworn declaration or affidavit for the next school year (Due Aug 1) at the same time, i.e. before June 30. Create your own if you are not doing this.
Submit this packet to your local school district by June 30 each year to comply with the law (official due dates are below if not submitting all at once):
- An Unsworn Declaration in Lieu of Affidavit Sample Cover Letter OR a Notarized Affidavit Sample Cover Letter to inform the school of the packet contents.
- Homeschool Evaluation Forms (by law, due June 30) - these forms are filled out by your evaluator after reviewing your child's portfolio.
- An Unsworn Declaration in Lieu of Affidatvit or a notarized Homeschool Affidavit to your local School District. (by law, due Aug 1)
- Objectives - You can print off these objectives lists to submit them each year. You do not need to over comply with detailed objectives according to the law! Elementary Objectives Secondary Objectives (by law, due Aug 1)
- Most moms I talk to consider the Affidavit as evidence of medical exams. However, you can fill out and submit a Medical Exemption Form. (by law, due Aug 1)
Additional Resources for Pennsylvania Homeschoolers
Guide to the PA Homeschool Law
This guide was the first homework I did when we decided to take our children out of the school system. It is a must read!
Helpful Websites:
Helpful Documents:
FREE Teacher Planner (Online Resource)
Pittsburgh Public Schools Homeschool Office Address:
Student Achievement Center, ATTN Homeschool
925 Brushton Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15208
**Contact your local school district for the Homeschool Office address if you are not in the Pittsburgh Public School District!**
Homeschool Curriculum and Resources
OVERALL CURRICULUM BY YEAR
- Home Learning Year by Year, by Rebecca Rupp is an excellent resource for identifying milestones each child should learn each year. It will also drive you crazy because it's definitely an overachiever's goals. It is still helpful for new homeschoolers, or those who want to see where their children are at compared to "norms". You can find this book at the library.
- The Well Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home by Susan Bauer and Jessie Wise is a staple resource to navigating specific curriculum choices by grade for children. It includes how much time to spend on each subject and organization techniques. It is an invaluable resource!
- Local school district websites commonly post their curriculum on the internet. This will be according to state standards in most cases.
- Simple web searches for "what every third grader should know", etc can also be helpful.
EVALUATION - ACHIEVEMENT TESTS
http://academicexcellence.com/- CAT Testing is done online, timed or untimed, results are instant, and only costs $20 with coupon code FIRSTCAT.
ORGANIZATION
- Teacher/Student Planners - You can make your own in a notebook, buy a fancy one, or search Pinterest for ideas. Check out a FREE editable planner here.
- Logs - this can be done any number of ways. Check out my editable Attendance Log and Student Work Log.
BUYING BOOKS, GAMES, PUZZLES, ETC? HOW TO FIND THE BEST DEALS!
- www.christianbook.com - Christian Book Distributor has a MASSIVE trove of Homeschool materials. They also have hefty sample materials and even videos to show you the material. The prices are AMAZING, and almost always better than Amazon. They have catalogues and deals as well. One stop shopping!
- Ebay.com - Homeschool parents like us sell old curriculum, or curriculum that didn't work for our children on Ebay at discounted prices.
- Homeschool Co Op Groups - Find these online or on FB - Why pay more when you can pay less?
- Thrift Stores - Thrifting is the best way to find books, games, puzzles, play clothes and accessories, and other resources on a budget. You will be surprised how many learning resources fill the shelves of these stores - I imagine eager grandparents dropping off books, science experiments, learning games, etc. to less eager grandchildren...
ONLINE CROSS CURRICULUM RESOURCES
Full Curriculum
- Monarch (Alpha Omega Press) - Paid Christian online curriculum for grades 3-12.
- Easy Peasy Homeschool Curriculum - FREE curriculum available online for grade 1-12.
- DiscoveryK12 - FREE curriculum available online for grades K-12
- Khan Academy - FREE curriculum online
- Time4Learning - Paid PreK-12 curriculum available online
- IXL - Paid K-12 online curriculum
- Homeschooling Torah - Hebrew Roots based Paid K-12 curriculum available online
- Power Homeschool - Paid K-12 curriculum available online
Websites:
- Education.com - Worksheets, Guided Lessons, etc. available for all subjects
- K12 Reader - Language Arts and cross-education through literacy worksheets
- Flocabulary - Cross Subject Education through raps and spoken word
- Brainpop - Cross Subject Education through short, animated narratives
- Discovery Education - Free Lesson Plans, K-12
- Teachers Pay Teachers - Free and Paid Lessons Plans and Worksheets created by teachers.
How to Find Curriculum
- Christian Book has a vast selection of Homeschool Curriculum, with large samples and even videos of the materials.
- Cathy Duffy Reviews has a large selection of in depth reviews and comparisons between different curriculum. It's a great way to find new curriculum resources.
CURRICULUM BY SUBJECT - MATERIALS I LIKE AND USE
Math
- Math Mammoth - After trying THREE Math curriculums, I like this one for grades 1-7.
- Math Aids - Create customizable math worksheets easily
- Teaching Textbooks - 3rd Grade thru Precalculus Full Math Courses. The company now has online lessons which include interactive videos and questions that make learning math fun!
Spelling/Vocaulary
- Education.com - Worksheets, Guided Lessons, etc. available for all subjects
- K12 Reader - Language Arts and cross-education through literacy worksheets
- Sequential Spelling - Excellent Spelling curriculum that has proven results!
- Wordly Wise - Vocabulary Building and Dictionary Skills Workbooks
- Word Roots Series - Critical Thinking Company workbooks that teach the Greek/Latin roots of English words, through Grade 12
Grammar/Writing
- G.U.M. Workbooks
- Scholastic Workbooks
- Education.com - Worksheets, Guided Lessons, etc. available for all subjects
- K12 Reader - Language Arts and cross-education through literacy worksheets
- Writeshop.com - Writing Prompts available online
Handwriting
- Zaner-Bloser Handwriting and Cursive Curriculum
Geography
- Library Books
- Travel
- Netflix Documentaries
- Brainpop
- Flocabulary
- DK Workbooks, etc that focus on Geography skills -- Search Christian Book Distributors
- Draw the World Series Books
- Geography games and books, e.g. The Scrambled States of America
Social Studies/History
- Library Books
- Field Trips - Museum, monuments, Travel
- Youtube Videos showing historic events/Netflix Documentaries
- Kids Discover Online - Online articles about social studies/history topics
- Brainpop
- Flocabulary
Science
- Library
- Field Trips to Homeschool science labs, or to science centers
- Brainpop
- Flocabulary
- Buy a used science Textbook to spring from
- National Geographic Kids magazine subscription
- Order Science kits online - there are monthly subscriptions for these
- Sign up for nature courses at local parks
- Outdoors exploration and play
- Join a Lego Club, or get involved in local technology workshops
- High Schoolers can take AP Classes online or do Dual Enrollment at community colleges
Art
- Library - Books on Art Techniques, etc
- Homeschool/Afterschool Art Classes - Held at art studios, clay studios, libraries
- Art Kits - can be bought from local art stores or online
- Pinterest
- Art lessons online, e.g. Kids Art Hub
Gym/Health
- Outdoor play - ride bikes, walk, run, play basketball, etc.
- Check out local rec centers - some offer homeschool gym or other opportunities
- Dance, Gymnastics, Martial Arts Classes, etc
- Online workouts at home
- Library for Health topics
Music
- Private or Group Music Lessons
- Library for Music History
- Online Music Lessons - YouTube, Hoffman Academy Piano, etc. - We study Guitar, Trumpet, Drums, and Piano online!
Typing
- Typing.com is a great and FREE way to teach typing!
Critical Thinking
- Critical Thinking Company produces excellent resources to enhance critical thinking skills
- Puzzles and thinking games
- Lego Building or other model building
Different Languages
- DuoLingo - FREE online language instruction
- YouTube has free language videos
- Rosetta Stone - get a deal on "Black Friday", don't pay full price
- Mango Languages - FREE through most libraries
- Homeschool CoOps
Character Quality Training
- Character Quality Project - A Character Quality Training Project for Elementary to Middle School Age Children. (See Video Above)
