Signed by Governor Tom Wolf

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends diploma-granting regulations and yearly reviews for students in home education programs.

Highlights:

• Authorizes an approved diploma-granting organization or a “supervisor,” defined as a parent or guardian of a child who is responsible for the child’s educational instruction, to award a high school diploma to a student enrolled in a home education program if the student fulfills all graduation requirements (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Department of Education to develop criteria and an application process for becoming an approved diploma-granting organization (Sec. 1).

• Repeals the requirement for a supervisor to submit a portfolio of the work done by a student enrolled in a home education program to the superintendent of the appropriate school district at the end of every school year (Sec. 1).

• Requires a supervisor to provide to the superintendent an evaluator’s certification by June 30 every year, which states that an “appropriate” education is occurring for the school year (Sec. 1). 

• Authorizes the superintendent to request an evaluator’s certification at any time during the school year, if he or she has a “reasonable belief” that the “appropriate” education may not be occurring in the home education program (Sec. 1). 

Full Bill Text