Switching up Schools? Here Are Your Options

We’re all familiar with conventional district schools. Those signature yellow buses courier students to and from a full day of instruction in classrooms. Students follow a standard curriculum and sit for standardized state assessment tests fairly regularly. Most teachers belong to unions, the school board sets the times and dates for the school year, and there’s little flexibility in the running of individual schools.

But there are many other options available when it comes to your child’s education.

Charter schools, private schools, parochial—or religious—schools, and home education are alternative options available to Pennsylvania families. And what works for one student may not work for another. The key to finding educational success is finding the school and learning format that works best for your student and family. So, let’s dive in!

Though publicly funded, charter schools run independent of their traditional district school counterparts. Local school districts pay students’ tuition to charter schools, making them a virtually free alternative to the local public school. Charter schools, while they must abide by state academic standards, have the ability to be flexible and innovative.

There are more than 170 charter schools in Pennsylvania. They include more than a dozen cyber charter schools that allow students to receive their public education at home. Charter schools help break down the segregation that happens through ZIP code-based school zoning. They are a powerful mechanism for allowing low-income students, in particular, the chance to leave failing neighborhood schools. Many Pennsylvania charter schools have wait lists. To find out more about charter schools, please visit PACharters.org.

There are also approximately 3,000 accredited private or nonpublic schools in Pennsylvania. Licensed private schools are regulated by the State Board of Private Academic Schools and must abide by many of the same requirements facing public schools. Parochial schools—those sponsored by a religious institution—are not required to be licensed.

Private schools range in structure, size, and mission. From boarding schools to specialty schools, private schools are what make Pennsylvania’s education system truly diverse. Pennsylvania has two private school scholarship programs—the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Initiative and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program—that provide scholarships to private schools. These highly sought-after scholarships are a valuable tool for many families to afford private school. To find out more about private school availability in your area, you can go to the PA Education Department website.

Home education is another amazing educational option for Pennsylvania families. Through homeschooling, families can employ nearly any educational philosophy, working independently or cooperatively with other homeschooling families. Students still have requirements to sit for assessment tests in third, fifth, and eighth grades, but there is greater flexibility in which assessment tests can be used. In Pennsylvania, homeschoolers are still eligible to receive a high school diploma. There are four legal methods for homeschooling in Pennsylvania. To learn more about how to comply with Pennsylvania’s homeschooling laws, visit the HSLDA website.

Whether COVID-19 policies and administrative overreach are pushing you to make a change or if your family has been considering alternatives to traditional district schools for some time, switching schools can seem overwhelming. But there are many resources available to you. Parent support groups and associations offer an abundance of information, and even local Facebook groups can give your family a chance to connect to others pursuing a similar education. From traditional district schools to homeschooling and everything in between, the diversity of educational models available to Pennsylvania families means finding the right one will enable your student to flourish.