TL;DR
To homeschool high school in Pennsylvania, keep running your home education program through the senior year, cover the required secondary subjects, and issue the diploma on the state's PDE-6008 form. Under Act 196 of 2014, the program supervisor issues that diploma and the 12th-grade evaluator co-signs it, and it counts as a Pennsylvania high school diploma for college, employment, the military, and PHEAA state grants. You can instead earn a diploma through an accredited program like PHAA, but you do not have to. Keep your portfolio and transcript. Confirm current forms at pa.gov.
Verified June 2026 against the Pennsylvania Department of Education home education guidance and Act 196 of 2014. Confirm current forms and procedures at pa.gov before relying on this for legal or admissions decisions.
Pennsylvania High School Homeschooling at a Glance
| Legal basis | Home education program under Act 196 of 2014 |
|---|---|
| Who issues the diploma | The program supervisor (you), on the PDE-6008 form |
| Co-signature | Your 12th-grade evaluator co-signs |
| Diploma status | Equivalent to a public school diploma for all state purposes |
| State grants | Qualifies for PHEAA PA State Grant funding |
| Alternative | An accredited program diploma, such as PHAA, is optional |
How Homeschool High School Works in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania homeschooling runs on an affidavit, required subjects, a portfolio, and an annual evaluation, and those continue through high school. What changes at graduation is the diploma. Act 196 of 2014 gave the home education supervisor the right to issue a state-recognized high school diploma directly, using a standard Department of Education form. Before that law, families needed an outside diploma-granting organization to get a diploma with any outside standing. Now the choice is yours. We cover the affidavit and portfolio in the Pennsylvania homeschooling guide.
Families new to homeschooling sometimes assume a homeschool diploma is a lesser credential, something a college or employer will question. Pennsylvania closes that gap directly: the law states that a diploma issued under this process is equivalent to a public school diploma for all state purposes. There is no asterisk attached to it and no separate review process a graduate has to clear before the diploma counts.
What stays constant through the high school years is the annual cycle you already run: file the affidavit, keep the portfolio, and have a qualified evaluator review the work and submit the certification by June 30. Graduation does not remove any of that. The senior year still gets a portfolio and an evaluation like every other year, and the diploma sits on top of that record rather than replacing it.
The supervisor who signs the PDE-6008 form is the same person who signs the annual affidavit, so there is nothing new to set up administratively. What is new for the senior year is the form itself and the evaluator's co-signature, both of which happen once the student has finished the coursework.
Cover the Required Secondary Subjects
Pennsylvania lists secondary subjects your program covers at the high school level, including English, math, science, social studies, arts and humanities, and health and physical education, along with the credits that make up graduation. Plan these across ninth through twelfth grade, and keep the portfolio that documents them, since your evaluator reviews it each year. Writing your four-year plan at the start of ninth grade keeps the portfolio and transcript easy to maintain. The free reading assessment is a good place to see where your student stands before you map that plan.
Build the plan around the credit minimums Pennsylvania sets for graduation, then treat the plan as something you revisit each year rather than a fixed document. A student who develops a strong interest in a particular subject partway through high school can add depth there, as long as the overall credit totals for graduation are still met by the time the diploma is issued.
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Issue the PDE-6008 Diploma
Here is the Pennsylvania advantage. When your student completes your program, you issue the diploma on the state's PDE-6008 form. The program supervisor signs it, and the student's 12th-grade evaluator co-signs it, which is the step that gives the diploma its standing. Act 196 provides that this diploma is equivalent to a public school diploma for all state purposes. That means college admission, employment, and military enlistment, and it also means your graduate can access PHEAA PA State Grant funding and enroll in Pennsylvania community colleges on the strength of that diploma. Keep a copy with your records. We link the reporting details in the Pennsylvania homeschooling guide.
The evaluator co-signature is not a formality to skip. Choose your 12th-grade evaluator with the diploma in mind, since this is the person who reviews the senior-year portfolio and signs off on the form alongside you. Confirm the current PDE-6008 form and any accompanying instructions directly with the Pennsylvania Department of Education before senior year begins, since state forms are updated from time to time.
The Accredited-Program Alternative and College
Some Pennsylvania families still choose a diploma through an accredited homeschool program such as the Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency. That route adds outside review and a recognizable transcript some families prefer for competitive admissions, but it is optional; the PDE-6008 diploma stands on its own. For college, build a clean transcript alongside the diploma, listing courses, credits, and grades, and add SAT or ACT scores. Dual enrollment during high school strengthens applications and gives your student college credit early. The guide is a useful resource for planning the high school years.
Whichever diploma path you choose, colleges and scholarship programs want to see a transcript that stands on its own, with course titles, credit values, and grades listed by year. Add short course descriptions for higher-level classes so an admissions reader can see what each course covered without needing to contact you directly. Pair that transcript with the PDE-6008 diploma, and your graduate has the same paperwork a public school graduate would present.
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Students With Learning Differences
If your student had an Individualized Education Program in public school, those services end when you run a home education program, and that includes high school. Pennsylvania lets a home education program serve students with special needs, with an evaluation by someone qualified to work with the student's needs. Plan documentation early, since colleges and testing accommodations can ask for recent records.
A Note from Homeschool Teacher Guide: What This Really Means for You
Pennsylvania asks more of you during the year, but it hands you a real reward at the end: you issue a state-recognized diploma yourself. Keep the portfolio current, cover the required secondary subjects, and when senior year closes, complete the PDE-6008 form, sign it as supervisor, and have your evaluator co-sign. That diploma opens PHEAA grants, community colleges, and four-year admissions the same as any public school diploma. You can add an accredited-program diploma if you want the extra review, but you do not need it. Our Pennsylvania homeschooling guide covers the portfolio and evaluation that lead up to graduation.
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☕ Buy us a coffee ($5)Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Pennsylvania Homeschool Diploma Recognized?
Yes. Under Act 196 of 2014, a diploma issued by the home education supervisor on the PDE-6008 form is equivalent to a public school diploma for all state purposes.
What Is the PDE-6008 Diploma?
It is the standardized Pennsylvania Department of Education homeschool diploma form. The program supervisor signs it and the student's 12th-grade evaluator co-signs it.
Do I Need a Diploma Organization Like PHAA?
No. Since Act 196, you can issue the diploma yourself. An accredited program such as PHAA is an optional route, not a requirement.
Can Homeschool Graduates Get PA State Grant Funding?
Yes. A properly issued PDE-6008 diploma lets your graduate access PHEAA PA State Grant funding and enroll in Pennsylvania community colleges.
Do Colleges Accept a Pennsylvania Homeschool Diploma?
Yes. The diploma is recognized for college admission. Pair it with a transcript and SAT or ACT scores, and consider dual enrollment for added rigor.