Frequently Asked Questions

Who can supervise a Home Education Program?

• The supervisor of the home education program must have a high school diploma or its equivalent. Examples include:
  • A diploma awarded by a home education supervisor after October 31, 2014
  • A diploma awarded by an approved diploma-granting organization (Act 196 of 2014) 
  • Successfully passing the GED tests and/or receiving a Commonwealth secondary school diploma (22 Pa. Code § 4.72)
• All adults living in the home and persons having legal custody of a child or children must not have been convicted of the criminal offenses itemized in 24 P.S. § 1-111 (e) within five years immediately preceding the date of the affidavit/unsworn declaration.

What are the responsibilities of the Supervisor of a Home Education Program?

1. Submit appropriate homeschool documentation (affidavits/unsworn declarations, educational objectives and physical, dental and immunization records) in a timely manner.
2. Maintain a portfolio of records and materials, samples of writings, worksheets, tests, and a log of instructional activities.
3. Hire an evaluator to interview the child, review the work in the portfolio and complete a written evaluation whether an appropriate education is occurring.
4. Submit a homeschool education Evaluator’s Report to Isabel C. Resende, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, Nazareth Area School District at One Education Plaza, Nazareth, PA 18064 each year of homeschooling by June 30th.  

What age does my child need to be to enroll in the Nazareth Area School District Home Education Program?

Compulsory attendance begins at age 6 and continues until a child is 18 years old or graduates (or the end of the school term in which the student reaches the age of 21). 

Can my homeschooled or private tutored student participate in extra-curricular activities (including interscholastic sports) at the Nazareth Area School District?

Private tutor students are not eligible to participate in extra-curricular activities. Home school students may participate in extracurricular activities, subject to meeting any eligibility criteria or its equivalent and are subject to compliance with all policies, rules, regulations or their equivalent of the governing organization of the activity.

If you would like to enroll your homeschooled student in an extra-curricular activity within the district, please contact Dr. Resende’s office at 610-759-1170 x1111 or Leah Recker at lrecker@nazarethasd.org.

Can my homeschooled or private tutored student participate in co-curricular activities (activities associated with a course) at the Nazareth Area School District?

Private tutor students are not eligible to participate in extra-curricular activities. Home school students may participate in extracurricular activities, subject to meeting any eligibility criteria or its equivalent and are subject to compliance with all policies, rules, regulations or their equivalent of the governing organization of the activity. If you would like to enroll your homeschooled student in an extra-curricular activity within the district, please contact Dr. Resende’s office at 610-759-1170 x1111 or Leah Recker at lrecker@nazarethasd.org.

Can my homeschooled or private tutored student participate in academic courses at the Nazareth Area School District?

Private tutor students are not eligible to participate in academic courses. Home school students may participate in academic courses, subject to meeting any eligibility criteria or its equivalent, and are subject to compliance with all policies, rules, and regulations of their equivalent of the governing organization of the activity. Coursework cannot exceed more than a quarter of the school day for that building, must be consecutive if more than one course is taken and students must attend the entire course time period. Home school families are responsible for transporting their students to and from school for their courses.

How do I find out what activities are offered at the school?

Each school’s website lists the extra-curricular and co-curricular activities available at that school, along with information regarding the specific timelines and application process for each activity.

May my homeschooled student borrow curricular materials and textbooks from the Nazareth Area School District?

Nazareth Area School District’s planned courses and curriculum can be found on the district’s website under the Programs…Teaching and Learning menu.

Parents may borrow textbooks, planned courses and curricular materials from the district. To request curricular materials, send a written letter or email to Dr. Resende’s office at lrecker@nazarethasd.org or One Education Plaza, Nazareth, PA 18064. All borrowed materials must be returned to the school district in good condition by the supervisor one (1) week prior to the close of the school year and/or prior to withdrawal from the home education program and/or prior to relocation out of the district.

What courses should be included in my homeschooled or private tutor student’s curriculum?

Elementary level (Kindergarten through 6th grade):

• English Language Arts, including:
  • Spelling
  • Reading
  • Writing
• Mathematics, including:
  • Arithmetic
• Science
• Social Studies, including:
  • Geography
  • History of the United States
  • History of Pennsylvania
  • Civics
• Safety Education, including:
  • Regular and continuous instruction in the dangers and prevention of fires
• Health and physiology
• Physical education
• Music
• Art

Secondary level (7th grade through 12th grade):

• English, including:
  • Language
  • Literature
  • Speech and composition
• Science
• Social Studies, including:
  • Geography
  • Civics
  • World history
  • History of the United States
  • History of Pennsylvania
• Mathematics, including:
  • General mathematics
  • Algebra
  • Geometry
• Art
• Music
• Physical education
• Health
• Safety Education, including:
  • Regular and continuous instruction in the dangers and prevention of fires
• Such courses of study may include, at the discretion of the supervisor of the home education program
  • Economics
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Foreign languages
  • Trigonometry
  • Other age-appropriate courses as contained in Chapter 4 Academic Standards and Assessment (22 Pa. Code Chapter 4)  

What are the graduation requirements for graduation from the homeschooling program?

The following minimum courses in grades 9-12 are required to graduate from the Home Education Program:

• Four years of English
• Three years of mathematics
• Three years of science
• Three years of social studies
• Two years of arts and humanities

The 12th grade evaluator will be responsible for ensuring and certifying graduation requirements have been met.

How is the homeschooling process different if my child is identified as Exceptional/has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)?

A homeschooled child that 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), has additional requirements for their program. The enrollment affidavit/unsworn declaration must be accompanied by a signed statement from a qualified evaluator that the specific support needs of the exceptional student are addressed by the program. In addition, the Evaluator’s Report at the end of the school year must be accompanied by a written notification of approval that the specific support needs of the exceptional student are addressed by the program. See 24 P.S. § 13-1327(d). The evaluator, who assures the educational program, addresses the needs of the child identified as Exceptional, may be any of the following:

• A Pennsylvania certified teacher in special education
• A licensed clinical psychologist
• A certified school psychologist

If my homeschooled or private tutored student enrolls in a public school, how do they determine which courses he or she earned credit for?

The law or regulations do not require a school district to accept any credits from homeschooling. School districts handle the integration of former homeschoolers in various ways. School districts may ask to see the portfolios they have not reviewed as a condition for credit or ask for a formal evaluation that lists the completed courses so that the school district can accept credit for them.

Some options in transfer of course credits

• Compare the school’s courses to the courses completed in the home education program and give credit where they intersect; work with the student to make up any deficiencies toward graduation requirements.
• Accept all home education credits, giving “elective” credits for those courses the school district does not offer.
• Accept the student into the grade which the home education program has placed the student, especially in grade school.
• Do not accept any credits from a home education program.

Students enrolling in high school must complete all the school district’s graduation requirements to graduate from that district.

How do I get the three clearances required by the state for me to serve as the private tutor for a student?

The state of Pennsylvania requires that private tutors have the same clearances as other teachers, so they are required to have the following three clearances. Each of the three clearances need to be renewed every five years.

PA STATE POLICE CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD / ACT 34

• Visit this link and Select New Record Check.
• Select “Employment” for the reason for request entry; Company name: Nazareth Area School District and complete form as prompted.
• Pay with credit/debit card ($22 as of 6/26/2023).
• Results are typically instantaneous unless they are “under review” in which case, note your reference number and date of application and use that information to check back on the “epatch” website periodically until your results are available.
• Print clearance (be sure to click all the way through to the “certification form” button – the document you print must show your SSN, DOB, etc. and will have the State Seal in the background – DO NOT USE THE “RECEIPT”). You will not receive a copy in the mail.

PA CHILD ABUSE HISTORY CLEARANCE / ACT 151

ONLY AVAILABLE USING A WINDOWS COMPUTER, NOT MAC

• Visit this link 
• Create an account with a valid email address. You will be asked for a Keystone ID# - this is a number you must create using the parameters. You will receive an email with a temporary password to log in and then you will be prompted to create your own password. Once this is done and you log into account, accept the terms and conditions and complete the process.
• For Application purpose, select “School Employee”.
• Complete all additional information.
• Pay with credit/debit card ($13 as of 6/26/2023)
• Following process, you will receive an email with ID number. Results within 14 days; you will receive an email when your report is ready to review. Log-in using the same password you created when applying. You will be able to access and printout the results.
• Response time may be immediate if done online (make sure to print) or up to two weeks if mailed. You will not receive a paper copy in the mail.

FBI FEDERAL CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD

• Go to this link 
• Scroll down to Enrollment Services and select digital fingerprinting
• Enter 1KG6XN as the Service Code
• Click on Schedule/Manage Appointment
• Go through the screens and enter information required
• Based on your zip code, you will be given a list of IdentoGO service centers. Click on where you wish to go to be printed. You can make an appointment online or click walk-in.
• Print the Service Summary Page. You will need to bring this and identification with you.

Do I have to come in to the District Offices in person to deliver my homeschooling or private tutoring documentation?

You can deliver your documentation in one of the following ways:

If the document is notarized (e.g. affidavit for enrollment in Home Education Program):

• Mail the document to district offices at the following address:

Isabel Resende, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Nazareth Area School District

One Education Plaza

Nazareth, PA 18064

• Deliver in person to district offices. The district offices are located around the back of the Nazareth Area High School (501 E. Center Street, Nazareth, PA 18064). The district office doors are labeled with big white letters on the brown header over the doors. There is a buzzer by the doors on the far right which you can ring to gain access to the building and then the secretaries in that office will contact Ms. Recker, Dr. Resende’s Administrative Assistant, to meet with you to gather your paperwork and provide you with a receipt. If Ms. Recker is unavailable at the time, the secretaries can accept your paperwork and provide you with the receipt.

If the document is not notarized:

• Mail the document to district offices at the following address:

Isabel Resende, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Nazareth Area School District

One Education Plaza

Nazareth, PA 18064

• Deliver in person to district offices. The district offices are located around the back of the Nazareth Area High School (501 E. Center Street, Nazareth, PA 18064). The district office doors are labeled with big white letters on the brown header over the doors. There is a buzzer by the doors on the far right which you can ring to gain access to the building and then the secretaries in that office will contact Ms. Recker, Dr. Resende’s Administrative Assistant, to meet with you to gather your paperwork and provide you with a receipt. If Ms. Recker is unavailable at the time, the secretaries can accept your paperwork and provide you with the receipt.

• E-mail the document to lrecker@nazarethasd.org

• Fax the document to 610-759-9637. Please also e-mail Ms. Recker at lrecker@nazarethasd.org after you have sent the fax so she can confirm its arrival.

Will the Nazareth Area School District provide services to evaluate my homeschooled student to determine if he or she is in need of special education services via an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)?

Yes. Please submit a written request in the form of a letter or email requesting special education evaluation services. Please include in the letter the name of your child, his or her age, a phone number, and email address where you can be reached so we can contact you to make arrangements for the evaluation. The letter can be mailed to:

Isabel Resende, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Nazareth Area School District

One Education Plaza

Nazareth, PA 18064

Does the Nazareth Area School District provide special education services for homeschooled students identified as Exceptional?

No. The Nazareth Area School District does not provide special education services for homeschooled students.

Can the homeschooled school year start or end on a different date?

No. The school year is set by public school code, starting on July 1st and ending on June 30th.

Does my homeschooled student need to enroll in the Home Education program if he or she will be getting his or her diploma through a homeschool organization instead of through GED testing or the Nazareth Area School District?

Yes. Compulsory attendance continues until a child is 18 years old, so the homeschooled student still needs to enroll in the Home Education program if he or she is not yet 18 years old.

Does the district provide standardized testing for homeschooled students?

• PSSA - The district provides free district administration of the statewide PSSA test in English Language Arts and Mathematics. You may request this testing by contacting Nazareth Area School District’s Pupil Services department (610-759-1170 x1114) by October 1st.
• Keystone - The district provides free district administration of the statewide Keystone subject tests in Algebra I, English Literature and Biology. You may request this testing by contacting Nazareth Area School District’s Pupil Services department (610-759-1170 x1114) by October 1st.
• PSAT testing – The district provides administration of the PSAT to 10th and 11th grade students. You may register for your homeschooled student to take these tests by contacting the high school counseling department, at 610-759-1730 x2311.
• SAT testing – The school district does not register its students for administration of the SAT. It does serve as a testing location on some testing dates. To register for the SAT and select a testing location, visit collegeboard.org.
• ACT testing - The school district does not register its students for administration of the
  It does serve as a testing location on some testing dates. To register for the ACT and select a testing location, visit www.act.org.
• AP Exams – The school district does administer AP exams to homeschooled students. To register your homeschooled student to take an AP exam, contact Kristy Hall, in the high school counseling department, at 610-759-1730 x2218.

How do I find an evaluator to create the Evaluator’s Report required at the end of every school year for homeschooled students?

The Pennsylvania Department of Education provides a list of homeschool support groups via this link.

The support groups can provide you with lists of evaluators on their websites via contacting them directly.

You are still responsible for ensuring that your evaluator has the necessary qualifications to conduct the evaluation. 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:

• Licensed clinical psychologist
• School psychologist.
• Pennsylvania certified teacher with two years grading experience at the level they evaluate (K-6 and/or 7-12).
• 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).
• 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 your student is identified as Exceptional by the provisions of the Education of the Handicapped Act (excluding those identified as gifted and/or talented), then the evaluator must be:

• A Pennsylvania certified teacher in special education
• A licensed clinical psychologist
• A certified school psychologist