Colorado Homeschool Laws
Homeschooling in Colorado
How do I start homeschooling?
Ready to start homeschooling in Colorado? You'll need to do the following:
- Decide which option you want to homeschool under: registration with school district, enrollment in umbrella school, or via a licensed teacher
- Research and follow the legal requirements for your chosen method
- Choose the the curriculum that works best for your family.
Homeschoolers have three distinct options for how to homeschool in Colorado:
- Submit a notice of intent to the local school district
- Enroll in an independent school which serves as an “umbrella” for homeschoolers
- Have your student taught by a Colorado licensed teacher
Download the Modify™ app for tracking and record keeping.
Enjoying learning together!
Homeschool Laws
According to Colorado Education Law, children who are under the age of six on or before August 1 of each year or under the age of seventeen shall attend public school. However, “a child who is participating in a nonpublic home-based educational program is not subject to compulsory school attendance.” In the case of a child has been “habitually truant […] at any time during the last six months that the child attended school before proposed enrollment in a nonpublic home-based educational program,” the parents must “first submit a written description of the curricula to be used in the program along with the written notification of establishment of the program.”
A “nonpublic home-based educational program” means “the sequential program of instruction for the education of a child which takes place in a home, which is provided by the child’s parent or by an adult relative of the child designated by the parent, and which is not under the supervision and control of a school district. This educational program is not intended to be and does not qualify as a private and nonprofit school.”
Based on CRS 22-33-104.5 of the Colorado Education Law:
“It is the primary right and obligation of the parent to choose the proper education and training for children under his care and supervision. It is recognized that home-based education is a legitimate alternative to classroom attendance for the instruction of children and that any regulation of nonpublic home-based educational programs should be sufficiently flexible to accommodate a variety of circumstances. The general assembly further declares that nonpublic home-based educational programs shall be subject only to minimum state controls which are currently applicable to other forms of nonpublic education.”
Homeschool Requirements
Even though Colorado does not highly regulate homeschooling, there are some Colorado homeschool requirements you must satisfy when you homeschool:
- Begin homeschooling by age 7.
- File the required notice of intent to homeschool each year.
- “Include no less than one hundred seventy-two days of instruction, averaging four instructional contact hours per day.”
- Teach at least the following: “communication skills of reading, writing, and speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature, science, and regular courses of instruction in the constitution of the United States.” According to the state department of education website, “The selection of curriculum is at the discretion of the parent who is overseeing the homeschooling program. The state cannot offer any guidance in this area and encourages contacting the district that received the written notification if there are further questions.”
- Evaluate each homeschooled child “when such child reaches grades three, five, seven, nine, and eleven. Each child shall be given a nationally standardized achievement test to evaluate the child’s academic progress, or a qualified person shall evaluate the child’s academic progress. The test or evaluation results, whichever is appropriate, shall be submitted to the school district that received the notification […] or an independent or parochial school within the state of Colorado. If the test or evaluation results are submitted to an independent or parochial school, the name of such school shall be provided to the school district that received the notification […]. The purpose of such tests or evaluations shall be to evaluate the educational progress of each child.”
- Stay current with homeschooling laws and requirements.
You should also keep the following records:
- Attendance
- Immunization records
- Test and evaluation results
Modify™ has made keeping these records convenient and easy.
For more information on homeschooling in Colorado visit the "Homeschooling in Colorado" link under the Reference Guide.
Record Keeping
No matter what method of homeschooling you use, it’s important to keep an up-to-date homeschool portfolio of your child’s accomplishments. Even if you use the umbrella school option, there is always the potential for their records to be lost or to be in error, so keeping your own set of records can be a helpful back-up. In addition to the required records listed above, homeschoolers in Colorado should consider including the following in their portfolio:
- homeschool report cards or a list of grades received by subject
- for high schoolers, a homeschool transcript
- examples of work by grade level
All of these items may prove helpful if you need to go back to public/private school after a period of homeschooling or for preparing college applications.
Modify™ offers a easy and reliable place to track the necessary things and keep records for your students.
Graduation requirements
In Colorado, graduation requirements depend heavily on the option you are homeschooling under. If you are using the umbrella school option, for instance, you will follow the graduation guidelines of your enrolled school. Families who have chosen the home based option, however, will determine their own graduation guidelines. Not only will your homeschool be the one to administer your child’s diploma, but you will also decide how many credits your high schooler needs to graduate, as well as required coursework.
It is wise to base these requirements on your high schoolers future goals.
- College bound: take a look at admission requirements of schools he or she may apply to and align your requirements with those.
- No College Plans: take a look at the high school requirements laid out by your local school board. These can provide a helpful point of comparison, particularly if your homeschooler might one day decide to further their education or enter the military.
- Specific Career goals: it can always be helpful to include some coursework that corresponds to their field of interest.
REFERENCE GUIDE:
Homeschool laws can change often, so please check for updates at the Colorado Education Law website.
Note: All information on this site is provided with no guarantee of accuracy. Modify™ is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or outdated information, or for the results yielded through use of this information.
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