Parents, businesses and institutions of higher learning are all interested in knowing the status of a home education or privately tutored diploma and whether it is recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Additionally, there is often confusion over what is or is not a home education program.

This Home Education and Private Tutoring section of the website deals with the status of each of the options about which there often are questions.

Cyber Schools

The only online schools that may grant a diploma that is recognized by the Department are Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools; these are public schools. If the online school is not a Pennsylvania cyber charter school, then the cyber school must operate within a home education program and PDE does not recognize the cyber school’s diploma (although some institutions may). However, a home education program utilizing the cyber school's curriculum may obtain a PDE recognized diploma.

Each year, the list of Pennsylvania's cyber charter schools may change and should be checked.

Umbrella Schools

An "umbrella school” is an alternative source of education which oversees the homeschooling of children to fulfill the requirements of a state government. In Pennsylvania, it includes schools that are neither public schools nor "brick-and-mortar" private schools. These include such things as correspondence courses, online (“cyber”) schools or any type of distance-learning school (e.g., webinar). Anyone using curriculum from such a source must operate as a home education program with all its legal requirements.

PDE does not recognize the umbrella school’s diploma (although some institutions may). However, a home education program utilizing the umbrella school's curriculum may obtain a PDE-recognized diploma.

Privately Tutored Students

There is no direct path to graduation for a privately-tutored student; hence, there are no graduation requirements. Students that are privately tutored may take the General Educational Development (GED) tests and then obtain a Commonwealth Secondary School diploma (see the following “Other Options” below).

Home Education Programs (Homeschooling)

Occasionally the Department is asked to verify the home education program diplomas of individual students. While the Department does not provide or track individual diplomas of students participating in home education programs, we have granted authority to certain organizations to provide home education program diplomas. These organizations also are required to keep records of the diplomas they grant and may be contacted for verification of any student.

Some parents choose to provide a parent-issued diploma rather than a PDE-recognized diploma or a diploma from an umbrella school. There is nothing that prevents a parent from exercising this option.

Other Options

If the home education program has not associated with one of the organizations that have authority to grant a PDE-recognized diploma (see the accompanying table), there are other options:

- Request a letter from the superintendent of the district of residence stating that the student has fulfilled all the graduation requirements of the law for a home education program. See 24 P.S. § 13 1327.1 (d).  

- Request the superintendent of the student’s district to complete a PHEAA form or send a letter to PHEAA for any student who had completed the graduation requirements for a home education program. The superintendent is required to do this for any home education program that lacks the requisite accreditation (i.e., any program that is not affiliated with one of the originations that are authorized to grant a PDE-recognized diploma). See 22 Pa Code § 121.21 (c) and 24 P.S. § 13 1327.1 (d).

- Take the GED tests (both for homeschooled and privately-tutored students). See 22 Pa Code § 4.72. PDE provides online information regarding the GED tests. 

- Request a Commonwealth Secondary School diploma (both for homeschooled and privately-tutored students). Contact the Bureau of Adult Basic & Literacy Education (ABLE) at 717-787-5532. The Commonwealth diploma is awarded for either successfully completing the GED tests or by satisfactory completion of a minimum of 1 full year or 30 semester hours of study at an accredited institution of postsecondary education. See 22 Pa Code § 4.72.

Diploma-granting Organizations

This table lists the diploma-granting organizations that currently are authorized by the Department to grant home education diplomas for Pennsylvania residents only. They may not grant a home education diploma to anyone who is not a resident of Pennsylvania. Additionally, they only may grant diplomas to students who have submitted a homeschool affidavit to their superintendent of schools.

These organizations reapply every three years and new organizations are added, so this list may change from year-to-year.