The Homeschool View
To Pass or Not to Pass – Part II
By Hunter Fell

October 21, 2010

Today, I will complete the answer to my Aunt Barbara’s questions about how homeschoolers know if/when they’ve passed a grade by tackling the more complicated part of the answer involving legal requirements.

First, you should know that every state has its own set of homeschooling laws, which vary in complexity: 10 (such as TX & MI) have “No” homeschooling requirements; 13 (including KY & CA) have “Low” regulations - parents only need notify school districts that they are homeschooling; 20 states (ex. FL & OH) have “Moderate” requirements - parental notification, achievement test scores, and/or professional evaluation of student progress; and 7 (including PA & NY) have stringent regulations - requiring all of the above, plus some add rules involving state-approved curriculum, teacher qualification of parents, or home visits by state officials.

Pennsylvania is one of the stricter states in comparison to the rest of the country; but though it monitors us, it also has many freedoms. So, you’re still probably wondering – along with my Aunt Barbara – what do these checks and balances mean? What must we do?

First, we must submit a notarized affidavit and list of objectives to our public school district’s superintendent at the beginning of each school year – basically, a statement of who we are and what our educational plans are. Second, standardized achievement tests must be taken in 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades making sure we’re on par with the country’s academics.

Homeschool Myth: Homeschoolers don’t know how to take standardized tests

Myth Buster: Per NHERI’s study, “Home Progress Report 2009”, homeschoolers scored 34–39 percentile points higher than the norm on standardized achievement tests. The homeschool national average ranged from the 84th percentile for Language, Math, and Social Studies to the 89th percentile for Reading.

Third, we compile a portfolio with school log and samples of work from each subject. This can be a simple folder, a box of samples, or a complex 4” binder filled with sheet-protected, academic samples and Creative Memory-type photo pages … my mom’s version.

Fourth, we take portfolios to an accredited Evaluator who looks through it, talks about what we’ve learned, and writes an evaluation stating an “appropriate education” took place. Finally, this portfolio – along with evaluation and test scores (when applicable) - is submitted to the superintendent to peruse, copy items for school records, and acknowledge school year completion. We then pick up our portfolios and the whole process starts all over again.

I trust this has given you a deeper Homeschool View; but should you have questions or topic ideas for an upcoming article, I’d love to receive them at dillsburgbanner@dillsburgbanner.net.