137-AR. Home Education

The following regulations shall govern all home education programs approved by the Board.

Eligibility

A notarized affidavit of the parent or guardian or other person having legal custody of the child or children, shall be filed prior to the commencement of the home education program and annually thereafter on August 1 with the Superintendent of the school district and which sets forth:

1. The name of the supervisor of the home education program who shall be responsible for the provision of instruction.
2. The name and age of each student who shall participate in the home education program.
3. The address and telephone number of the home education program site.
4. That such subjects as required by law are offered in the English language, including an outline of proposed education objectives by subject area.
5. Evidence that the student has been immunized and has received the health and medical services required for students of the child's age or grade level.

The affidavit shall contain a certification to be signed by the super visor that the supervisor, all adults in the home, and persons having legal custody of a child or children in the home education program have not been convicted of criminal offenses as enumerated in Sec. 111 of the School Code.

In the event of the home education program relocating to another school district, the supervisor must apply, by registered mail, to the Superintendent of the district in which s/he currently resides, requesting a letter of transfer for the home education program to the district to which the home education program is relocating. The letter of transfer must be filed by the supervisor of the home education program with the Superintendent of the new district of residence. The letter of transfer shall be issued no later than thirty (30) days after receipt of the registered mail request of the home education program supervisor.

Program

A student who is enrolled in a home education program and whose education is therefore under the direct supervision of his/her parent, guardian or other person having legal custody shall be deemed to have met the requirements if the program provides a minimum of one hundred eighty (180) days of instruction or nine hundred (900) hours of instruction per year at the elementary level, or nine hundred ninety (990) hours per year at the secondary level.

At the elementary level, the following courses shall be taught: English, to include spelling, reading and writing; arithmetic; science; geography; history of the United States and Pennsylvania; civics; safety education, including dangers and prevention of fires; health and physiology; physical education; music; and art.

At the secondary level, the following courses shall be taught: English, to include language, literature, speech and composition; science; geography; social studies, to include civics, world history, history of the United States and Pennsylvania; mathematics, to include general mathematics, algebra and geometry; art; music; physical education; and health and 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, economics; biology; chemistry; foreign languages; trigonometry; or other age appropriate courses as contained in Chapter 5 curriculum requirements of the State Board of Education.

Graduation Requirements

The minimum courses in grades 9 through 12 are to be in compliance with Chapter 5, and local Board requirements for graduation, in any home education program. The Board also requires that any candidate for graduation, in compliance with this section, demonstrate mastery of the student learning outcomes as stated in Section 5.202 of Title 22, Pennsylvania School Code, Chapter 5.

Requirements of Supervisor

In order to demonstrate that appropriate 11/08/2006provide and maintain on file the following documentation for each student enrolled in the home education program: a portfolio of records and materials. The portfolio shall consist of a log, made contemporaneously with the instruction, which designates by title the reading materials used, samples of any writings, work sheets, workbooks or creative materials used or developed by the student; and in grades three, five and eight results of nationally normed standardized achievement tests in reading, language arts and mathematics or results of statewide tests administered in these grade levels. The supervisor shall ensure that the nationally normed standardized tests or the statewide tests not be administered by the child's parent or guardian.

Evaluation Requirements

1. A teacher or administrator who evaluates a portfolio at the elementary level shall have at least two (2) years of experience in grading any of the following subjects: English, to include spelling, reading, and writing; arithmetic; science; geography; history of the United States and Pennsylvania; and civics.
2. A teacher or administrator who evaluates a portfolio at the secondary level shall have at least two (2) years of experience in grading any of the following subjects: English, to include language, literature, speech, reading and composition; science, to include biology, chemistry and physics; geography; social studies, to include economics, civics, world history, history of the United States and Pennsylvania; foreign language; and mathematics, to include general mathematics, algebra, trigonometry, calculus and geometry.
3. An annual written evaluation of the student's educational process as determined by a licensed clinical or school psychologist or a teacher certified by the Commonwealth or by a nonpublic school teacher or administrator is required. The evaluation shall also be based on an interview of the student and a review of the portfolio and shall certify whether or not an appropriate education is occurring. At the request of the supervisor, per sons with other qualifications may conduct the evaluation with the prior consent of the Superintendent. In no event shall the evaluator be the supervisor or their spouse.
4. Documentation required by this policy shall be provided to the school district Superintendent or designee at the conclusion of each school year. If the Superintendent or designee has a reasonable belief that, at any time during the school year, appropriate education may not be occurring in the home education program, s/he may require documentation pertaining to the portfolio, to be submitted to the district by certified mail (with return receipt requested) within fifteen (15) days, and the evaluation to be submitted within thirty (30) days.

If the Superintendent or designee determines, based on documentation, that appropriate education is not occurring, the Superintendent or designee shall send a letter to the supervisor stating that in his/her opinion appropriate education is not occur ring in the Home Education program and shall return all documentation, specifying what aspect or aspects of the documentation are inadequate.

The supervisor of the program shall have twenty (20) days from the receipt of the certified letter to submit additional documentation demonstrating that appropriate education is taking place. If documentation is not submitted within that time, the home education program shall be out of compliance, and the student shall be promptly enrolled in the public or a nonpublic school.

Right of Hearing

The Board shall provide for a proper hearing by a duly qualified and impartial hearing examiner within thirty (30) days. The examiner shall render a decision within fifteen (15) days of the hearing, except that s/he may require the establishment of a remedial education plan mutually agreed to by the Superintendent and supervisor of the home education program which shall continue the home education program. The decision of the examiner may be appealed by either the supervisor or the Superintendent, to the Secretary of Education or Commonwealth Court.

If the hearing examiner finds that the documentation does not indicate that appropriate education is taking place in the Home Education program, the Home Education program shall be out of compliance, and the student shall be promptly enrolled in a public or nonpublic school.

Loan of Instructional Materials

The district shall, at the request of the supervisor, lend to the home education program copies of the school district's planned courses, textbooks, and other curriculum materials appropriate to the student's age and grade level.

Adopted: May 3, 1994