Colorado
Homeschooling in Colorado
The summaries below describe three different approaches, or alternative ways, the state of Colorado offers homeschooling families to meet state compulsory education requirements. Additional and more extensive help can be found within our e-book: Colorado Homeschool Legal Workbook: Your Guide to Compliance - Facts & Forms, prepared by HomeSchoolLegal.com.
Approach 1 |
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| Approach: | Establish a homeschool |
| Restrictions: | Teacher certification not required |
| Reporting: | File notice of intent 14 days before commencing homeschooling and each year thereafter. Parent shall certify, in writing, a statement containing the name, age, place of residence and number of hours of attendance of each child enrolled in said program. Note: If a child has been habitually truant at any time during the last six months that the child attended school before proposed enrollment in home education program, the child may not be enrolled in the program unless the child’s parents first submit a written description of the curricula to be used in the program, along with the written notification of establishment of the program. |
| Recordkeeping: | Record to be maintained on a permanent basis by the parent in charge and shall include attendance date, test and evaulation results and immunization results. Records shall be produced to local school district upon 14 days notice if superintendent has probable cause to believe that program is not in compliance with guidelines. |
| Requirements: | Subjects to be taught include communication skills of reading, writing and speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature, science and regular courses of instruction in the Constitution of the United States. Keep attendance records to show 172 days of attendance averaging four hours per day. |
| Testing: | Testing is Required. Students shall be given a nationally standardized achievement test at grades 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. Results shall be submitted to the local district of residence or an independent or parochial school and must score above 13th percentile to continue home school program OR be evaluated by a “qualified person” selected by the parents who is (a) a certified teacher; (b) a teacher employed by a private school; (c) a licensed psychologist; or (d) a person with a graduate degree in education. |
| Compulsory Attendance: | Applies to children between the ages of 7 to 17. Will be changed to 6-17 as of July 1, 2008. If homeschooling under Approach 1, age is from 7 to 17. |
| Source of Law: | Title 22, Colorado Revised Statutes, Education Article 33 |
| NOTE: | This is not intended to be legal advice and is offered only as an educational service for visitors to www.Home-School-Inc.com and www.HomeSchoolLegal.com. It is not a substitute for competent legal advice. Requirements may change at any time, and interpretations of the law and regulations can differ. Consult a legal services provider and a local homeschooling support group for more specific information. |
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Approach 2 |
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| Approach: | Enroll in independent or private school offering home instruction, comprised of at least two families. |
| Restrictions: | Teacher certification not required |
| Reporting: | As required by private school |
| Recordkeeping: | As required by private school |
| Requirements: | Subjects shall provide a basic academic education, including communication skills of reading, writing and speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature and science |
| Testing: | As required by program |
| Compulsory Attendance: | Applies to children between the ages of 7 to 17 |
| Source of Law: | Title 22, Colorado Revised Statutes, Education Article 33 |
| NOTE: | This is not intended to be legal advice and is offered only as an educational service for visitors to www.Home-School-Inc.com and www.HomeSchoolLegal.com. It is not a substitute for competent legal advice. Requirements may change at any time, and interpretations of the law and regulations can differ. Consult a legal services provider and a local homeschooling support group for more specific information. |
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Approach 3 |
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| Approach: | Hire a private tutor |
| Restrictions: | Teacher certification required |
| Reporting: | None |
| Recordkeeping: | None |
| Requirements: | Subjects shall provide a basic academic education, including communication skills of reading, writing and speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature and science |
| Testing: | Not required |
| Compulsory Attendance: | Applies to children between the ages of 7 and 17 |
| Source of Law: | Title 22, Colorado Revised Statutes, Education Article 33 |
| NOTE: | This is not intended to be legal advice and is offered only as an educational service for visitors to www.Home-School-Inc.com and www.HomeSchoolLegal.com. It is not a substitute for competent legal advice. Requirements may change at any time, and interpretations of the law and regulations can differ. Consult a legal services provider and a local homeschooling support group for more specific information. |
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