Home School Information

Home School is one education option available to students. For detailed guidelines, information, and requirements, please refer to the PA Department of Education’s guidelines on Homeschooling.

For New Home School Families: (See the attachments below to explore the district policy and State requirements.)

Prior to the commencement of the home school program, and annually thereafter on August 1, the parent/guardian or other person having legal custody of the child or children shall file a notarized affidavit with the Superintendent setting forth the information required by law.

For Returning Home School Families:

According to the compulsory attendance and home school laws of Pennsylvania, you as a parent who is home educating your child, have a duty to demonstrate that appropriate education is occurring through maintaining a portfolio of records and materials. The Homeschool Educator must provide a program consisting of instruction in the required subjects for the time required according to PA Homeschool Laws and in which the student demonstrates sustained progress in the overall program.  The parents must provide the following to the school district:

1-A home school program is commenced by the submission of a notarized affidavit or unsworn declaration to the student’s district of residence, by the home education supervisor (parent, guardian or person having legal custody of the child).

2-A written evaluation by an approved Home School Evaluator upon completion of the school year on or before June 30th. This evaluation must be based on an interview of the student and a review of the portfolio; it must state whether an appropriate education has occurred for the student and document the student’s progress while in a home education program.

For students in grades three, five and eight, the results of a nationally – normed standardized achievement test approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for home education.  The Department has identified the following tests for home education use (This should be contained in your portfolio and does not need to be on file with the school district):

• California Achievement Test
• Comprehensive Testing Program (CTPIV)
• Iowa Test of Basic Skills
• Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)
• Metropolitan Achievement Test
• Peabody Achievement Individual Test–Revised Version
• Stanford Achievement Test
• Terra Nova
• Woodcock-Johnson Revised Tests of Achievement III
• Woodcock-Johnson IV
• Wechsler Individual Achievement Test III (WIAT-III)
• Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA)

If you desire to have your child take the state PSSA tests or Keystone Exams with district-enrolled students, you must contact Becky Koehler, Principal of Academic Affairs at 814-258-5646, ext. 1036 or rebecca.koehler@ntriogasd.org. All requests must be received no later than October 1 of each year in order to ensure testing labels and materials are ordered for your child.

Important Due Dates	Drop off or mail to: NTSD Administration Building 110 Ellison Road, Elkland, PA 16920
Home School Evaluations	Due By June 30th Annually
Home School Affidavits	Due by August 1st Annually

Home School Families should keep the following documentation on file (suggestions provided by PDE):

Keep Until Student Graduates	Keep For Student’s Lifetime
Portfolios (at the level–elementary or secondary Evaluations (all) Immunization and medical services records	Transcripts Diploma Name and contact information for 12th grade evaluator (in case diploma is lost)

Act 55 of 2022 Update
Students participating in a home education program may now enroll in co-curricular activities and take academic courses equaling up to one-quarter of the school day, within the parameters of these new policies.

• NTSD Homeschool Dual Enrollment Criteria

If you are interested in enrolling your child under these new policies, please submit a request by June 1, 2023, for the 2023-2024 school year, and then by March 1st, every year thereafter. All requests must be submitted in writing and addressed to Becky Koehler, Principal of Academic Affairs, Northern Tioga School District, 110 Ellison Road, Elkland, PA 16920. Once your request is received, we will work to honor the request as part of our scheduling process. For all eligible requests that can be honored, you will receive instructions on how to begin the enrollment process. Course and programming information will then be shared accordingly. As outlined in the policies, participation will require your child to be enrolled as a District student.

Important Home School Documentation:

• 2023-24 Homeschool Testing Letter
• Elementary Homeschool Sample Affidavit
• Checklist for parents
• PDE Home Education and Private Tutoring Guide

Curriculum Suggestions
For students in grades 6-12, the Pennsylvania Department of Education created the Pennsylvania Core Standards that highlight the various content standards across core curricular areas. To use this resource, simply select the grade level and the subject area.

In an effort to help parents establish quality goals and objectives each year, our district has gathered valuable resources for you:

PA Department of Education
PA Home Education
Common Core State Standards
Standards Aligned System (SAS)
Common Core Expansion
Curriculum Framework
Additional Materials and Resources