Annual Homeschooling Requirements

By August 1st for the upcoming school year:

• Notarized Affidavit or Unsworn Declaration that does not need to be notarized to provide a Home Education Program (samples can be found in the links to the left under Commonly Used Forms)
• Outline of Educational Objectives by subject for each student (samples can be found in the links to the left under Commonly Used Forms)
• If the student is identified as Exceptional by the provisions of the Education of the Handicapped Act as needing special education services (excluding those identified as gifted and/or talented), then the following additional documentation must be provided, with the affidavit or unsworn declaration upon enrollment for the school year:
  • Written notification of approval that the specific support needs of the exceptional student are addressed by the program. The approval must come from an evaluator who has one of the following qualifications:
    • A Pennsylvania certified teacher in special education
    • A licensed clinical psychologist
    • A certified school psychologist
• If your child is entering grade 3 or grade 7:
  • Dental Exam Records *
• If your child is entering grade 6 or grade 11:
  • Physical Exam Records *
  • Record of Immunizations for child *

* Evidence of immunizations/health/dental services may be provided in one of three ways:

• submit actual records (using the Physical form and Dental form)
• submit letter from the doctor stating legal requirements have been met
• statement of religious objection.

Throughout the school year:

• Maintain a portfolio of records and materials, samples of writings, worksheets, tests, and a log of instructional activities
• For the end of the school year, hire a qualified evaluator to interview the child, review the work in the portfolio and complete a written evaluation whether an appropriate education is occurring (Evaluator’s Report). The Pennsylvania Department of Education has very specific guidelines regarding homeschool evaluator qualifications. Verification of credentials will depend on the credential. The evaluator cannot be the supervisor or spouse of the supervisor of the homeschool education program. To qualify as a homeschool evaluator, the person must be a:
  1. Licensed clinical psychologist
  2. School psychologist.
  3. Pennsylvania certified teacher with two years grading experience at the level they evaluate (K-6 and/or 7-12).
  4. Nonpublic school teacher or administrator with two years PA teaching experience within the last 10 years at the level they evaluate (K-6 and/or 7-12).
  5. Persons with other qualifications. The superintendent of schools in the student’s district of residence may accept any other credentials or documentation they believe to be adequate. This is completely at the discretion of the superintendent.

If the student is identified as Exceptional by the provisions of the Education of the Handicapped Act as needing special education services (excluding those identified as gifted and/or talented), then the following additional documentation must be provided, with the evaluator’s report at the end of the school year:

1. Written notification of approval that the specific support needs of the exceptional student are addressed by the program. The approval must come from an evaluator who has one of the following qualifications:
1. A Pennsylvania certified teacher in special education
2. A licensed clinical psychologist
3. A certified school psychologist

If your student is completing grades 3, 5 or 8, he or she is required to complete standardized testing which will be reviewed by the evaluator as part of the Evaluator’s Report. Some options of standardized testing include:

• Free district administration of the statewide PSSA test in English Language Arts and Mathematics. You may request this testing by contacting the Nazareth Area School District’s Pupil Services department (610-759-1170 x1114) by October 1^st.
• Nationally-normed standardized achievement test - The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) provides a list of nationally normed standardized tests, per the law, which may be used by those who do not wish to take advantage of the free PSSA testing at their district schools at the following link:  Home Education Program Standardized Testing.  

By June 30th at the end of the school year:

• Submit the homeschool education Evaluator’s Report to the Superintendent of School’s office of Nazareth Area School District at One Education Plaza, Nazareth, PA 18064. The Evaluator’s Report must include the following:
  • Evidence of the evaluator’s qualifications
  • Signature of the evaluator
  • Valid phone number for the evaluator
  • Statement that standardized testing results were reviewed (if the student was in grades 3, 5 or 8)
  • Written notification of approval, from the evaluator, that the specific support needs of the exceptional student are addressed by the program (if the student is identified as Exceptional by the provisions of the Education of the Handicapped Act as needing special education services (excluding those identified as gifted and/or talented).