Private Tutoring Versus Home Education Programs

Parents may want to compare the differences between homeschooling and private tutoring to see which best fits the way they would like their children to be educated. There are many similarities, such as in the curriculum requirements, but there also are differences. Here is a brief overview of the structural differences.

Private Tutoring

1. No affidavit required
2. In place of affidavit, reporting (1) by tutor of students and (2) by parent that the law's requirements were met
3. No evaluation required
4. No direct route to the Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma is possible. Additional cost and effort may be involved since high school equivalency tests now are based on the PA Core Standards
5. Dual enrollment in classes, academic and cocurricular courses, and career and technical programs are permitted at the discretion of the districts, subject to local board policies
6. Private tutor must be a PA certified teacher, submitting evidence of their certification and results of their background checks to the school district

Homeschooling

1. A notarized affidavit or unsworn declaration is required for all home school students of compulsory school age.
2. An annual home school evaluation report is required for all home school students of compulsory school age.
3. State-recognized diploma are available
4. Home school parents have the right to borrow textbooks and other curricular materials
5. Home school students have the right to participate in extracurricular activities
6. Effective beginning with the 2023-24 school year, home school students may dually enroll in their resident school district in any cocurricular activity that merges extracurricular activities with a required academic course, academic courses (equaling up to at least one quarter of the school day for full-time students), and CTE programs if certain requirements are met.
7. Supervisor of the home education program needs a high school diploma or its equivalent.

One strategy for parents is to have their children privately tutored through eleventh grade and then switch to homeschooling in twelfth grade so that the student can obtain a state-recognized high school diploma. If this strategy is followed, the parent will need to ensure that the private tutor structures the student's education in such a way as to complete the requirements for graduation from a home education program.