PA Homeschoolers (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Penn: rent, credit, buy)

[AKF]

are there any homeschoolers who can post and let me know how strict the homeschool law in pa truly are?

thanks.

[carolinajack]

i will be homeschooling in Philadelphia, if I dont move back home to SC where the schools are better or lots more christian schools.
if i find any info i will pass it along

[AKF]

thanks!
please keep in touch as sc is another state that i am considering relocating to, because of the tough pa homeschool law.

[Hopes]

I homeschool in Pittsburgh because my son has medical issues. Pennsylvania has charter internet schools which makes homeschooling very easy. Many homeschooling parents go this route because the charter school provides the curriculum. The charter school reimburses you for your internet bill at the end of each school year. Oh, and the charters provide a computer. Some charter schools are all-internet and others provide textbook and other educational tools. It's completely free! Your school district has to pay the charter internet school since you pay taxes.

If you choose to create your own curriculum, the laws allow for that. The superintendent of each school district is required to track the progress of the homeschooled children. You provide your curriculum to the superintendent each year and documented evidence of your child's ongoing education is required on a certain time basis. The districts also require the students to pass evaluation tests to make sure the children are actually learning. It's not a very big deal. They aren't doing this to keep your child from being homeschooled; they're just making sure that homeschooling is actually being implemented successfully.

Students who attend a charter internet school receive a state high school diploma---just like students who attend public schools. Students who are homeschooled outside of the charter internet schools do not receive a diploma from the state, but that will probably be changing soon.

There are many charters so you have your choice of whichever one you feel has what you need. Parents who homeschool through the charter internet schools still participate in the homeschooling networks for socialization. Some charter internet schools provide social opportunities and field trips too. You'll have to research to find out which one you like best. Since they are via the internet, it doesn't matter where they are located in the state---except your child might be required to go to the headquarters once or twice a year for annual testing, etc.

Let me know if you're interested in going the charter internet school route and I'll provide you with a list of the Pennsylvania charter schools.

[AKF]

Hi,

I actually printed out a copy of the PA homeschool law. I realize there are 4 options that you can homeschool under in PA. 1st of course is to do it yourself, in which case your kid would have to undergo testing...this is the method I am currently using except we don't get tested in the state we currently reside in.
2nd option, private tutor...probably won't work for us. 3rd option...day school/church school...is this what you are talking about when you say charter school? I have some information from PennFoster which I was considering for my son's high school course work...would this kind of school be considered a charter school? Does the school have to be "religious"? It seems to be the case with this 3rd option...could you elaborate on that?
I am not sure I even understand option 4 totally.

Any info. you can give will be appreciated.

thanks.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by AKF

3rd option...day school/church school...is this what you are talking about when you say charter school?

No. The state doesn't pay for any homeschooling except if it's through a charter internet school.

Originally Posted by AKF

I have some information from PennFoster which I was considering for my son's high school course work...would this kind of school be considered a charter school?

PennFoster is a private school which you have to pay tuition. You don't have to pay for a charter school in Pennsylvania. My son's charter internet school has a duel enrollment program with the local community college so high school students can graduate from high school with college credits. Of course, the duel enrollment program is only available to students with great grades.

Originally Posted by AKF

Does the school have to be "religious"? It seems to be the case with this 3rd option...could you elaborate on that?

First of all, I have no idea what list you have so I'm not exactly sure what you're talking about. Religious schools are private schools in Pennsylvania. Only public schools can be charter. Charter schools are paid for by taxes. Private schools are paid out of your own pocket. State taxes won't pay for religious schools because of separation of church and state.

Originally Posted by AKF

I am not sure I even understand option 4 totally.

Since I don't know what list of options you have, I can't help you in that regard.

Originally Posted by AKF

Any info. you can give will be appreciated.

Let me see if I can explain:

Schooling you pay for yourself are 1) private schools, 2) private religious schools, and your own 3) homeschooling where you design your own curriculum and buy your own materials and books.

Public schools (self explanatory) are paid for by the government. There are traditional public schools and there are charter public schools. A charter school is a speciality school in the public system. Some are bricks and morter schools and some are internet schools.

Some examples of Pennsylvania charter schools are:

1) CAPA which is a Pittsburgh city school for the performing arts. Children actually attend there. It's not homeschooling.

2) Speciality charter schools for children with special needs. Children from many school districts attend these schools. They are actual buildings where children attend. They are not homeschooling.

3) Cyber internet charter schools are virtual classrooms on the internet. The cyber internet schools that Pennsylvania supports (pays for) are considered charter schools. There are other internet schools that do not belong to the Pennsylvania charter school system and you have to pay for them yourself if you choose to educate your child through one of those instead of through a charter internet school supported by the state.

Here is a list of CHARTER CYBER INTERNET schools in PA that are paid for by taxes, not privately paid tuition:

http://www.pde.state.pa.us/charter_schools/lib/charter_schools/2006-07_Cyber_List.pdf (broken link)

All schools on that list provide curriculum and instruction via the internet. Tax dollars pay for these so there is no tuition for you to pay.

If your child attends a charter cyber internet school, your local school district is required by law to permit your children to participate in school sports and activities at no charge because you pay your public school taxes tthrough property tax or rent if you don't own a home.

I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

[AKF]

hi hopes,

i pulled a list of the homeschool law in pa from the hslda website. according to their site...the pa homeschool law gives you 4 options under which you can homeschool your child. (this is what i was talking about in my last post.)

i understand what a charter school is. what i am trying to find out if one can homeschool their child through a private school such as penn foster under the homeschool law since it is not mentioned in the pa homeschool law on the hslda website.

thanks.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by AKF

i pulled a list of the homeschool law in pa from the hslda website. according to their site...the pa homeschool law gives you 4 options under which you can homeschool your child. (this is what i was talking about in my last post.)

I'm sorry that I don't have time to go searching for what you found. It would be helpful if you provide a link to the specific law you're referencing.

Originally Posted by AKF

what i am trying to find out if one can homeschool their child through a private school such as penn foster under the homeschool law since it is not mentioned in the pa homeschool law on the hslda website.

I just checked PennFoster's site and they are an approved private school in Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania education website also shows Penn Foster to be a licensed private high school recognized in Pennsylvania.

Here's the link: http://edna.ed.state.pa.us/entity.as...&txtInst=34914

If that's the route you want to go, it's definitely allowable in Pennsyvlania. It's not a charter though. Just an approved private school.

I'm a little confused as to why PennFoster has chosen to not apply for a charter when the school districts pay charters more than what PennFoster is charging in tuition.

Regardless, I'm glad it's an option for you! You'll just have to pay the tuition out of your own pocket whereas a charter internet school would have been free.

I personally would chose a charter cyber school. That's just me.

[soulsurv]

Hopes, you are obviously a very well-researched and highly intelligent person, so I hope you don't mind if I pose this question: In order for parents to homeschool their children, do the parents themselves need to meet a specific criteria? What if a parent simply is not... very bright? Do they need to pass a test in order to be responsible for the education of their children?

I am a semi-retired teacher of Secondary English. I teach "Homebound" students for various districts throughout Delaware County. Students are placed on Homebound status if they are too sick to attend school or if they have been expelled. The districts pay me as a service to the students. I LOVE my job - but I would no sooner place some of the parents I encounter in charge of a student's lessons than I would throw their books in a fire. Get my meaning?

[AKF]

thanks for that breakdown. you actually answered my question in your response. i feel much better about the whole thing now.

thanks.

p.s. i would respond to soul but i don't particularly care for the statement made about the parents!