School Choice

School Choice and Homeschool in Pennsylvania

Private school choice programs, charter schools, homeschool rules and private schools in Pennsylvania. Facts as of November 2026.

Choice programs2All limited by eligibility
Charter schoolsAllowedPublic charter law
Homeschool noticeYesTesting: Yes

Private school choice programs

How they work ›

Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC)

Tax-credit scholarship Limited Enacted 2001 (year not confirmed)

Limited to K-12 students in households with annual income up to $122,322 plus $21,531 per additional dependent; businesses receive a credit of 75% to 90% of contributions to approved scholarship organizations.

Administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development; now codified in Article XX-B of the Public School Code. The program also funds pre-K scholarships and educational improvement organizations. Enactment year is from secondary sources.

Official source

Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC)

Tax-credit scholarship Limited Enacted 2012 (year not confirmed)

Limited to students living in the attendance area of a low-achieving public school (bottom 15%) in households with income up to $122,322 plus $21,531 per dependent; funds scholarships to another public school or a private school.

Administered by DCED; Article XX-B of the Public School Code. Maximum scholarship for 2025-26 was $8,500 (general) or $15,000 (special education). Enactment year is from secondary sources.

Official source

Charter schools

Pennsylvania has a public charter school law.

Official source

Homeschool rules

Parents file an affidavit or unsworn declaration with the district superintendent before starting and by August 1 each year, with an outline of objectives. Students keep a portfolio that must include standardized test results in grades 3, 5 and 8, and a qualified evaluator reviews it annually. Check your state's law before you start.

Notice: Yes Testing: Yes

Law: 24 P.S. § 13-1327.1. Official source

Notes

Lifeline Scholarship / PASS voucher proposals were not found to be enacted; no official source for the 2026-27 budget outcome was located.

Some items in a note may rest on news reports rather than an official source.

Private schools in Pennsylvania

The private school list will appear here after the first scheduled update.

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Sources: PA DCED: Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program, PA DCED: Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program, PA Department of Education: Home Education Program (BEC), PA Department of Education: Charter Schools (BEC), NCES Private School Universe Survey. State facts as of November 2026. Check your state's law before you start.