Private and nonpublic schools in Pennsylvania provide the parents of school-age children diverse alternatives to public schools. Private schools are available at all grade levels including nursery/kindergarten, elementary and secondary schools of virtually every educational philosophy and religious denomination. There are also specialty schools for special education and tutoring, as well as private academies and boarding schools. Parents can choose from among more than approximately 3,000 nonpublic and private schools in Pennsylvania.
Explanation of Schools and Services
The responsibility of the Nonpublic and Private School Section is to license private academic schools and register nonpublic nonlicensed schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
There are three types of private schools in Pennsylvania:
- LICENSED PRIVATE ACADEMIC SCHOOLS are licensed and regulated by the State Board of Private Academic Schools, whose rules, regulations, and standards are concerned with quality education, teacher certification, attendance and courses of study, which closely parallel public school requirements. These schools are primarily nonsectarian.
- NONPUBLIC NONLICENSED SCHOOLS are schools owned and operated by bona fide religious institutions. Registration is required of these schools by the Pennsylvania School Code; however, they can choose to be licensed.
- ACCREDITED SCHOOLS are schools that are accredited by accrediting associations approved by the State Board of Education. The purpose of these organizations is to provide schools a measured, recognized means of improving their academic and operational performance. Schools that desire to become accredited must meet prescribed quality standards established by the accrediting organization. The accredited schools are able to participate in the student services provided to the Licensed and Nonpublic Nonlicensed schools.
NOTE: Private school's in Pennsylvania are not required to be Accredited, however, a school can obtain accreditation through an approved accrediting association.
Through Act 89, students attending nonprofit nonpublic schools can access a program of auxiliary services that are similar to those provided to public school students in the school district in which the nonpublic school is located. In addition, Act 195, Act 90 and Act 35 provide textbooks, instructional materials and equipment, loaned free of charge, to students who attend nonpublic schools in grades kindergarten through twelve.
Forms, Applications and Sample Documents
The Division has provided a list of forms and applications for a school to upload and complete. Before submitting the application(s), please be sure that ALL sections are complete and signed. For questions regarding forms or to request forms not listed below please email ra-nppss@pa.gov.
- Private Academic Teacher Certification
- 180-Day Instructions For Non Public and Private Schools
- 180-Day Exception Form PDE-3130 For Non Public and Private Schools (PDF)
- Affidavit PDE-5000A (PDF)
- Affirmation Form PDE-3561 (PDF)
- Contract Bond Original PDE-1665 (PDF)
- Contract Bond Sample (PDF)
- Contract Bond Instructions (PDF)
- Supplemental Application (PDF) - coming soon.
- Special Education Exceptionality Questions (PDF)
- Tutoring/ETR Questions (PDF)
- Planned Course Outlines (PDF)
- Early Childhood Schedule (PDF)
- Early Childhood Progress Report (PDF)
- Montessori Schedule (PDF)
- Insurance Factsheet - Image Only PDF document (PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does the Commonwealth of PA provide tuition grants to parents for private academic schools?
Currently, Pennsylvania does not provide grants. The Department of Community and Economic Development administers the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC) - PA Dept. of Community & Economic Development and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Program which provide scholarships for private school students. Also, you may contact the school you will be enrolling your child in to see if they provide funding/grants, or if they know of private organizations that provide funding. - Do private academic schools have to abide by the 180-day attendance requirement?
Private schools are required to be in session for a minimum of 180 days of instruction or a minimum of 450 kindergarten hours, 900 elementary hours, or 990 secondary hours of instruction. Licensed private academic schools must request a formal exception to the 180-day requirement by submitting the 180-Day Exception Form if the school wishes to use the hours in lieu of the days - Do nonpublic and private academic schools have the right to withhold student records?
Nonpublic and Private academic schools must release all student health records; however, a school can choose to withhold student academic records. Review the Basic Education Circular that pertains to Student Records Being Retained by a Private School. - Who is responsible for providing Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to students publicly placed in a licensed private academic school?
You can find information regarding FAPE by reviewing Advisory Statement below:
Advisory Regarding Students Placed in a Private Academic School by a Public School District (Publicly Placed Students)
The State Board of Private Academic Schools licenses schools that meet the requirements of its regulations. These regulations can be found at 22 PA Code, Chapters 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, and 63.
Students with disabilities who are publicly placed in licensed private academic schools by a school district are entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) as set forth in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA); and applicable Pennsylvania State Board of Education Regulations found at 22 PA Code Chapter 14. For such students, it is the responsibility of the school district to provide FAPE, as per the IDEA and Chapter 14. Review the Department of Education's Basic Education Circular (BEC) “Placement Options for Special Education".
Licensing procedures for Private Academic Schools do not include a review of compliance with IDEA and Chapter 14. Thus, the license granted by this Board for a private academic school does not ensure compliance with IDEA and Chapter 14.
Questions regarding FAPE, IDEA, Chapter 14, and the specific requirements that must be met by school districts that place students in private schools for purposes of providing FAPE should be directed to the Bureau of Special Education at (717) 783-6134.
Questions regarding private academic school licensure should be directed to ra-nppss@pa.gov.
Q Do I complete these questions if I am applying for a Special Education license also?
A No, there are separate questions if a school is applying for a special education license only or a regular education and special education license dually.
Q When answering question 1 regarding philosophy and mission statement, do I include childcare?
A No, only provide the philosophy and mission statement of the school.
Q When answering question 3 about education director and teacher experience, what do I include?
A Provide an explanation of previous experience the education director and teachers have had in the field of education. Indicate where their experience came from (employment) and how long they were employed. You do not have to include what degrees they hold.
Q When answering question 4 about curriculum, what do I include?
A If curriculum is purchased, identify the curriculum being used and if it is aligned with the grade appropriate state standards. If the curriculum is teacher created, explain how the curriculum is developed and how it is aligned to the grade appropriate state standards.
Q If a daily class schedule is already included in the application packet, do I have to include the schedule in question 5 also?
A No, just indicate that the schedule is included in the application packet. You may provide an explanation about the schedule here. If you include the schedule in question 5, you do not have to submit a separate schedule.
Q If I am not seeking a license for special education, do I have to answer question 7 regarding special education?
A Yes, although you will not be operating a special education school, you may have a few students that have special needs. Provide an explanation on how you will provide services to the special-needs students, such as going through your local Intermediate Unit or contracting with an outside agency. Also explain how teachers will implement the accommodations within the classroom.
Q Must I provide a full list of materials for question 9?
A No, do not include a list of materials for question 9. You must explain how materials will be used to support children’s learning and how they are aligned with the grade appropriate state standards. You may include a few examples of materials. A separate list of materials must be submitted with the application packet as a separate document.
Q What should I include in question 10a and 10b regarding reporting student progress to parents and parent evaluations?
A The Board recommends holding at least 2 parent/teacher conferences during the school year. Indicate when parent/teacher conferences will be held and how you will deliver a student’s progress in question 10a.
The Board recommends that a school offer opportunities for parents to evaluate its program and offer feedback. Indicate how parents can evaluate the school both in-person and anonymously.
Q What types of activities does the Board look for in question 11 regarding transition?
A Provide an explanation of how you prepare students and parents for transition to the next grade level or to a different school. This could be prepping students throughout the school year for what they should expect when they transition the following year, such as standing in line for the cafeteria, carrying food to their table, bus safety, having a teacher from the school they will be attending to speak to them, etc. Examples of preparing parents could be helping them with registration, having a family night to discuss the transition, etc.
Q In question 12, what types of professional development does the Board recommend?
A The Board recommends professional development in the areas of curriculum development, special education, early childhood, best practices, etc. Professional development should include topics that will enhance a teacher’s ability to instruct students, provide experience for teachers and support staff to work with the types of students that are enrolled at the school. Identify the topics of courses that staff will be required to take.
Q If I am applying for both a regular education and special education license, do I have to complete both Board questions?
A No, if applying for both regular education and special education, you only answer the special education questions.
Q When answering question 1 regarding philosophy, do I include childcare?
A No, only provide the philosophy of the school. Also be sure to describe the special education exceptionalities of the students you will be enrolling. You can find the exceptionalities that the Board licenses at the following link: Special Education Exceptionalities
Q What do I include in question 2?
A If you have a residential facility that is tied to the school, or the school will be part of a hospital setting, be sure to include that in your answer. Also indicate if you offer an AEDY program, behavioral health services, etc. If you have a childcare center and/or before and after care through DHS, also include that in your answer as well as the Keystone Star level that is held.
Q When answering question 3 about education director, teacher experience and ratio what do I include?
A Provide an explanation of previous experience the education director and teachers have had in the field of education. Indicate where their experience came from (employment) and how long they were employed. Explain how they are qualified to teach the disabilities of students to be enrolled. You do not have to include what degrees they hold.
Only provide student/teacher ratios for the exceptionalities you are seeking a license for. You do not want to include all exceptionalities that are listed in the questions if you are not seeking a license for them.
Q How should I answer question 4?
A If curriculum is purchased, identify the curriculum being used and if it is aligned with the grade appropriate state standards. If the curriculum is teacher created, explain how the curriculum is developed and how it is aligned to the grade appropriate state standards.
Q If a daily class schedule is already included in the application packet, do I have to include the schedule in question 5 and 6 also?
A No, just indicate that the schedule is included in the application packet. You may provide an explanation about the schedule here. If you include schedules in questions 5 and 6, you do not have to submit a separate schedule.
Q Must I provide a full list of materials for question 9?
A No, do not include a list of materials for question 9. You must explain how materials will be used to support children’s learning and how they are aligned with the grade appropriate state standards. You may include a few examples of materials. A separate list of materials must be submitted with the application packet as a separate document.
Q What should I include in question 10a and 10b regarding reporting student progress to parents and parent evaluations?
A The Board recommends holding at least 2 parent/teacher conferences during the school year. Indicate when parent/teacher conferences will be held and how you will deliver a student’s progress in question 10a.
The Board recommends that schools offer opportunities for parents to evaluate its program and offer feedback. Indicate how parents can evaluate the school both in-person and anonymously.
Q In question 13, what types of professional development does the Board recommend?
A The Board recommends professional development in the areas of curriculum development, special education, early childhood, best practices, etc. Professional development should include topics that will enhance a teacher’s ability to instruct students, provide experience for teachers and support staff to work with the types of students that are enrolled at the school. Identify the topics of courses that staff will be required to take.
Q In question 18, who should provide letters of support?
A If publicly placed students will be placed at your school, you must submit 3 letters of support from surrounding school districts, one being from your local LEA (please make sure they are signed.) You may also submit support letters from surrounding Charter Schools.