Support Groups and Resources

Various organizations provide support for homeschoolers. The information contained herein has been provided by the organization, based on categories provided at the bottom of this file. Inclusion in this list does not imply evaluation, review or approval of any kind by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).

While PDE does not list individuals as resources, an organization may download the Application for Listing as a Support Group from the Home Education and Private Tutoring homepage and return it for inclusion of their group on the website.

County and regional support groups for parents of homeschoolers are particularly welcomed to the list because they link together homeschool families in the same geographical area to share ideas, resources and activities.

Diplomas and diploma-granting organizations

Some organizations apply to PDE for recognition as state approved diploma-granting organizations, using the Home Education Association Application for Recognition. These organizations are listed at the Diploma-Granting Organizations for Home Education Programs (State Approved) link. Additionally, supervisor-issued homeschool diplomas are recognized by the state. This form for a supervisor-issued diploma (PDE 6008), and the others, are provided on the Home Education and Private Tutoring homepage.

Support Groups by Geography

Support groups are listed in the following order:

• County in PA
• Regional in PA
• Statewide/National
• Worldwide

County

Chester County

Classical Conversations (CC) (www.classicalconversations.com)
367 Hibernia Road
Coatesville, PA 19320-1287
Melissa Alton, 610-384-1306, malton@classicalconversations.com Lori Herson, 610-384-4780
Achievement testing, Association, Conference, Email, Evaluators, Newsletters, Support Group, Website

Fulton County

Christian Home Educators Team
HCR 81, Box 58
Needmore, PA 17238
Norma Jean Hohman, 717-294-6215, hohman@nb.net
Ruthann Golden, 717-294-3118
Advocacy, Association, Email, Evaluators, Information, Support Group

Regional

Regional - Allegheny, Butler, and Beaver Counties

Family Instructors of the North Suburbs (FINS) (sites.google.com/site/pittsburghfins/)
1549 Crestview Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Barb Beideman, 412-358-0394
Becky Giebel, 412-635-9159
Email: pfins-owner@yahoogroups.com
Association, Conference, Email, Evaluators, Information, Support Group, Website

Regional – Allegheny (Pts) and Westmoreland Counties

The McKeesport Area Homeschoolers
404 Owens Avenue
Liberty Borough, PA 16930
Barbara Page, 412-461-6788, pageclan@msn.com
Association, Email, Website

Regional - Berks, Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties

Valley Forge Baptist Home Education Association (VFBHEA)
616 S. Trappe Road
Collegeville, PA 19426
Karen Melchior, 610-948-8100, kmelchior@vfba.org
Lois Rall, 610-948-8100
Fax: 610-948-6423
Association, Newsletters, Support Group, Diplomas, Email, Website

Regional - Monroe, Northampton, Pike and surrounding counties 

Northeast Pennsylvania Homeschoolers (NEPA) 
PO Box 884 
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 
Judy or Paul Van Hook, 717-476-9321, nepahomeschoolers@yahoo.com
Curriculum Fair, Email, Evaluators, Information

Regional – Philadelphia and surrounding area

Eclectic Learning Network (ELN) (www.eclecticlearningnetwork.com)
105 Bethlehem Pike
Philadelphia, PA 19118
Maleka Diggs, 267-603-7509, maleka@eclecticlearningnetwork.com
Conference, Newsletters, Support Group, Website

Regional - York County and surrounding areas 

York Homeschool Association (YHSA) (www.homeschool-life.com)
211 Pauline Drive Box #407
York, PA 17402 
Tara Moore, Membership Chair, tarastern@hotmail.com; coordinator@yhsa.org  
Association, Curriculum Fair (March), Information, Materials, Newsletter, Support Group and Website 

Statewide

Aleithia Learning Community (www.aleithia.org)
55 Bertolet School Road
Spring City, PA 19475 
Peter D. Mountz, Headmaster, 484-798-4165, mountzALC@gmail.com
Association, On-line Courses, Materials  

Buxmont Christian Educational Institute, Inc.  (buxmontchristianed.org)
146 W. Broad Street
Telford, PA 18969 
Terry L. Johns, 215-723-7226, bceione@fast.net
Association, Conference, Curriculum Fair, Diplomas, Evaluators, Information, Materials, Newsletters, Support Group  

Catholic Homeschoolers of Pennsylvania (/www.catholichomeschoolpa.org)
101 South College Street 
Myerstown, PA 17067 
Larry and Ellen Kramer, 717-866-5425, kramer101@comcast.net; info@catholichomeschoolpa.org   
Fax: 717-866-5425
Association, Conference & Curriculum Fair, Email, Evaluators, Information, Newsletter, Website 

Christian Homeschool Association of Pennsylvania (CHAP) (www.chaponline.com)
231 N. Chestnut Street
Palmyra, PA 17078
Angela Davis, 717-838-0980, staff@chaponline.com
Advocacy, Association, Conference, Curriculum Fair, Email, Evaluators, Information, Newsletter, Website 

Erie County Homeschoolers Diploma Association  (www.echsdiploma.org)
9129 State Road
Cranesville, PA 16410 
Edi Thomas, 570-967-0951, echsda93@gmail.com
Janet Preston, 814-774-3549
Association, Diplomas  

Keystone Christian Institute (www.PAhomeschool.com)
120 Kilingerman Road 
Telford, PA 18969
Christa Hageman, 215-721-1868, PAhomeschool@undermothersheart.com
Information, Website, Email, Handbell Choir (Music Classes), Statewide and classes for Bucks, Berks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia county homeschoolers  

Mason-Dixon Homeschoolers Association, Inc. (www.mdhsa-pa.org)
32 West Main Street #5 
Waynesboro, PA 17268 
717-749-5767
Barbara Snider Email: mdhsaadmin@pa.net (for support group)
Stephanie Vickers: diploma@pa.net  (for diploma program)
Association, Diplomas, Evaluators, Information, Newsletters, Support 

Pennsylvania Home Education Network (www.phen.org)
952 Peach Street 
Ellwood City, PA 16117 
Gloria Molek, 412-922-8344, info@phen.org   
Association, Email, Evaluators, Information, Newsletter, Support Group, Website  

Pennsylvania Homeschoolers AP Online (www.aphomeschoolers.com)
105 Richman Lane
Kittanning PA 16201-9311 
Howard and Susan Richman, 724-783-6512, richmans@pahomeschoolers.com   
Fax: 724-783-6512 
Email, On-line courses (Advanced Placement), Website

Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency (www.phaa.org)
105 Richman Lane
Kittanning, PA 16201-9311 
Dr. Howard B. Richman, 724-783-6512, director@phaa.org   
Fax: 724-783-6512 
Association, Conference (High School at Home), Diplomas, Email, Evaluators, Materials, Newsletter, Website 

Susquehanna Valley Homeschool Diploma Programs, Inc.
484 Pleasant View Road 
Hummelstown, PA 17036 
Chris Ranck, 717-834-3573, ranckseven@gmail.com   
Sandra Elliott, selliott095@gmail.com  
Association, Conferences, Diplomas, Evaluators  

The Lancaster Center for Classical Studies (The Classical Foundation of Lancaster)  (www.latinandgreek.org)
910 Marietta Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603
Peter or Laurie Brown, 717-397-3223, lccs.org@comcast.net

They Read More Usborne Books (www.letsjustread.com)
6419 N. Fairhill Street
Philadelphia, PA 19126
Tracey D. Sims-Brooks, 888-229-0185, theyreadmore@gmail.com    
Curriculum Fair 

Statewide/National/Worldwide 

Keystone National High School KNHS or Keystone (The Keystone School) (keystoneschoolonline.com)
920 Central Road 
Bloomsburg, PA 17815 
Gary Myers, Provost, 800-255-4937
Jennifer Unger, Director, 800-255-4937, Info@keystonehighschool.com   
Fax:  570-300-2346 
On-line Courses, Support Group, Website

National   

Alternative Education Resource Organization 
417 Roslyn Rd 
Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 
Jerry Mints, 516-621-2195, Jerryaero@aol.com
800-769-4171 
Fax: 516-625-3257 
Association, Email, Evaluators, Information, Materials, Website  

American School (www.americanschool.org)
2200 East 170th Street
Lansing, IL  60438
Jeff Cox, 708-418-2800
Valerie Riley, 708-418-2800
Email: publicrelations@americanschool.org  
Fax: 708-418-2831
Email, Materials, Newsletters, Online Courses, Website

Curriculum Services (www.curriculumservices.com)
26801 Pine Ave 
Bonita Springs, FL 34135 
Kathleen L. Sprafka, 239-992-6381, info@curriculumservices.com
Fax: 941-992-6473 
Email, Materials

Debra Bell/Aim Academy (www.debrabell.com)
Email: info@debrabell.com   
Achievement Testing, Online Courses, Newsletter, Conference, Information, Materials  

ECS Issue Site - Homeschooling  (www.ecs.org/ecsmain.asp?page=/html/issues.asp?am=1/)

Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) (www.hslda.org)
1 Patrick Henry Circle 
Purcellville, VA 20132 
Daniel T. Beasley, Esq., 540-338-5600
Caleb Mast, Legal Asst. 
Email: pennslyvania@HSLDA.org   
Fax: 540-338-2733 
Advocacy, Association, Email, Information, Newsletters, Website  

National Challenged Homeschoolers Associated Network (NATHHAN) (www.nathhan.com)
5383 Alpine Road, SE 
Olalla, WA 98539 
Tim Bushnell, 253-857-4257, Nathanews@aol.com   
Fax: 253-857-7764 
Association, Email, Information, Materials, Newsletters, Support Group, Website  

National Home Education Research Institute (www.nheri.org)
12221 Van Brady Road 
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772-7924 
William A. Lloyd, 301-372-2889 
Brian D. Ray, 503-364-1490 
Email: mail@nheri.org   
Fax: 301-372-0086 
Information, Website  

National School Is Dead; Learn in Freedom!  (www.learninfreedom.org)
Karl M. Bunday, webmaster@learninfreedom.org   
Email, Information, Website 

Categories for Support Groups

Achievement Testing - An organization which arranges for students to take nationally normed standardized achievement tests. 

Advocacy - An organization which provides legal information and/or assistance. 

Association - An organization which parents or families join for a fee.  

Conference - Organizes an annual or more frequent meeting of organizations and/or parents regarding homeschooling issues.  

Curriculum Fair - Organizes an annual or more frequent fair of organizations or companies that provide materials for instruction.  

Diplomas - Organization which is properly registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to issue secondary school graduation credentials for post-secondary school admittance, PHEAA grants and loans, and supervision of a home education program.  

Email - An address on the Internet.  

Evaluators - An organization which provides a listing of evaluators.  

Information - An organization which provides information on other organizations, materials or research on the subject of home education free of charge.  

Materials - An organization which sells or provides without charge curriculum materials or other materials used in instruction.  

Newsletters - An organization which provides a periodic newsletter or magazine for homeschooling families, with or without charge.  

On-line Courses - An organization which provides courses in limited subject areas or age groups via the Internet. The courses or age groups will be identified. 

Support Group - An organization which provides parent support meetings, family programs, field trips, kids clubs, social activities. 

Website - Electronically retrievable information available through the Internet free of charge.  

If your organization would like to advertise on this page, complete the Application for Listing as a Support Group on the Home Education and Private Tutoring homepage and return it to ra-home-education@pa.gov.