PA Law requires that an evaluator evaluate a student each year.  The student takes the portfolio of samples of the work done throughout the year to the evaluator who reviews the portfolio and writes an evaluation, which the parent provides to the local superintendent.  There is usually a fee charged for this service but some evaluators do this service free of charge.  Read more about this in the MDHSA law guide on this website.

Qualified Evaluators are those with one or more of the following according to the PA Home Education Law:

1. PA Teacher Certification, whether current or not
2. 2 years teaching/grading experience in the past 10 years
3. Licensed clinical psychologist
4. Certified School psychologist
5. An evaluator who does not meet any of the criteria in #1-4 but who has received permission from a school district superintendent to evaluate students in that district.  (To receive this permission, the parent must request of the superintendent to have that person evaluate his children.)  To make this go more smoothly, the evaluator or parent should write a letter making the superintendent aware of this provision as most superintendents are unaware of this section of the home education law.  He should include the following statement which includes a quote from the home education law:  According to the Pennsylvania home education law (Act 169-1988) "At the request of the supervisor, persons with other qualifications (than those listed in the home education law) may conduct the evaluation with the prior consent of the district residence superintendent.  In no event shall the evaluator be the supervisor of their spouse."  To assure a positive answer, the evaluator may want to send a list of qualifications (education, teaching experience involvement in home education, books read, workshops attended, workshops taught, etc.) to the superintendent.  BE SURE TO READ AND KNOW THE LAW BEFOREHAND.

Pennsylvania Statewide Evaluator List
Updated April 22, 2009

The following are evaluators who may be contacted to evaluate homeschooling programs in Pennsylvania.

To become an MDHSA evaluator, fill out and mail this application to the MDHSA office.  MDHSA Evaluator Agreement Form

If anyone has questions or wishes to be added to the Statewide Evaluator list or update current information, please email name, address, county phone number, appropriate code(s) and email address to diploma@pa.net or mail your information to the MDHSA Office, 32 West Main Street # 5, Waynesboro, PA 17268.

Pennsylvania Statewide Evaluator List - 45 KB

Please realize that this listing is NOT an endorsement of any of these evaluators.