Home Education FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions about Home Education
- What is the difference between ELCO's Virtual Academy, cyber charter schools, home education, private tutoring, and other online schools?
ELCO's Virtual Academy: Students are enrolled as ELCO students but participate in their daily instruction entirely online from home. Students are instructed by PA-certified teachers and meet ELCO graduation requirements by participating online throughout the school year from home. There is no cost to families for ELCO Virtual Academy.
Cyber Charter Schools: These schools also provide online daily instruction, but are not affiliated with the ELCO School District. They exist as their own school entity. Although there is no cost to the family, the ELCO School District pays the cost of these schools at a higher amount than our locally controlled ELCO Virtual Academy.
Home Education: In a home education program, the parent/guardian provides the daily instruction. Families must submit an annual affidavit and annual evaluation to the ELCO School District. This is typically what is meant by "homeschooling."
Private Tutoring: In a private tutoring program, the tutor is required to be a certified teacher. The tutor submits the names of students who are being provided with daily instruction. No affidavit or final evaluation is required to be submitted to the district.
Other Online Programs: Families may use other online programs or curricula to support their students in home education programs. These programs are selected by the families. The ELCO School District does not approve or oversee which curriculum is used by families. Families using these programs are still required to complete the annual affidavit as well as have a qualified evaluator sign off at the end of the year. Although many of these programs claim to be accredited, only a small few are approved to provide a diploma. Please see the diploma FAQ below for more information.
- Where can I find an evaluator?
The Pennsylvania Department of Education and the ELCO School District do not recommend or maintain lists of qualified evaluators. Families are encouraged to reach out to other home education families or networks for recommendations. The evaluator and the supervisor cannot be the same person.
- How does my senior receive a diploma?
Home Education Diploma
Home education diplomas are issued by the home education evaluator and must use the standardized form provided by PDE. Home education diplomas are not issued by the school district. A copy of the diploma signed by the evaluator may be provided to the school district to be kept in the home education file.
Private Tutoring Diploma
There is no direct path for privately tutored students to receive a diploma. Privately tutored students who pass a high school equivalency test or complete 30 college-level credits from a US-accredited postsecondary institution may obtain a Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma.
If a student is enrolled in private tutoring in their senior year, they will not be issued a diploma. In order to receive a diploma, the student must be enrolled in a home education program in their senior year and follow the guidelines for a home education diploma including the evaluation. Diplomas for home education are issued by the evaluator.
For more information on the requirements for a diploma in Pennsylvania, please click here.
PDE List of Diploma-Granting Organizations
- What are the requirements for a child enrolled in a home education program like Penn Foster?
PDE Approved Home Education Programs
If a family enrolls a student in a home education curriculum with an organization, they must still complete all requirements with the local school district for registering their child with a home education program including the affidavit and evaluation.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education authorizes organizations to be approved to issue home education diplomas. If a school is not on this list, a diploma will not be issued that is recognized by PDE and to earn a diploma, the home education supervisor will need to follow the guidelines for a typical home education program. The list of accredited organizations can be found here (Currently, Penn Foster is not accredited):
PDE List of Diploma-Granting Organizations
- Can my child take PSSA and/or Keystone Exams with the school district?
Yes. If you are interested in having your child take the PSSA or Keystone Exam please contact the principal of the school building where your child would attend if enrolled in school and they will make arrangements for your child to take the exam with other students. Dates for testing are established by PDE. It is best to notify the principal before February of the year of testing.
- Where can I find networking groups or support for homeschooling?