Please note, this is not intended as legal advice. This is for informational purposes only and should you choose to Homeschool in Colorado then you need to double check the Colorado Department of Education website for current regulations.
Colorado law specifically refers to homeschooling in Colo. Rev. Stat. § 22-33-104.5. To homeschool under this statute, you’ll need to follow these guidelines.
- File a “Notice of Intent to Homeschool” Form. The written notification must include the name, age, place of residence, and the number of attendance hours of each child that will be participating in the homeschool program.
- Complete at least 172 days of instruction each year, averaging at least 4 hours a day.
- Instruction must be provided by a parent, guardian, or adult relative designated by a parent and record keeping must be maintained on a permanent basis by the individual who is overseeing the program. Records must be provided to the school district upon request. Keep a detailed log of attendance including days and hours worked as well as any standardized testing, immunization records and course grades.
- Take standardized tests for students in grades 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. Students can take a nationally standardized achievement test or a qualified person, as described in C.R.S. 22-33-104.5(3)(f), can be selected by the parent to evaluate the student’s academic progress. The results of the evaluation, whether by assessment or qualified person, must be submitted to the school district that received the written notification.
The law requires Colorado homeschooling parents to keep attendance records, test and evaluation results, and immunization records.
If the superintendent “has probable cause to believe” the homeschool program is not in compliance with the law and requests access to a family’s homeschool records, he or she is required to provide the parent with 14 days’ notice.
The test must be a nationally standardized achievement test. If you decide to have your child evaluated rather than tested, you must choose one of the following people to conduct the evaluation:
- a Colorado certified teacher,
- a teacher employed by a private school,
- a licensed psychologist, or
- a person with a graduate degree in education.
What to do with the test or evaluation results:
The results must be submitted to either the school district to which you sent your notice of intent, or you may choose to submit the results to an independent or parochial school within the state of Colorado. If you do not send the results to the school to which you sent the notice of intent, you must inform that school where you sent the test or evaluation results.
What may happen if your student does not make “adequate progress” according to the law:
If a child does not score above the 13th percentile on a nationally standardized achievement test, he or she can be given an alternate version of the same test or a different nationally standardized achievement test. If the score is still below the 13th percentile, the school district will require the parent to place the child in a public, independent, or parochial school until the next testing period.
If an evaluation demonstrates that a child is not making progress in accordance with his or her ability, the school district can require the child’s parents to place the child in a public, independent, or parochial school until the next testing period.
Fellow homeschoolers in your state are best equipped to help you navigate these regulations. Here are a few secular homeschool groups in Colorado to connect with.
Colorado Secular Homeschool Groups
Colorado Homeschool Hike Days (secular)
“This is a safe environment for homeschool parents and their kids to be themselves in a world of unrealistic expectations. It’s a place to let go of stress and worry from the week, and enjoy laughter, nature, and support with new and old friends.”
Colorado Secular Homeschoolers
“A place to find support and share experiences on your secular homeschooling journey.”
Colorado Springs Secular Homeschool Support Group (SHSSG)
“Based in Colorado Springs, and providing on-line support throughout Colorado, this group caters to the diverse community we live in and all homeschooling families are welcome. Our members prefer that their religious and political beliefs not be a part of this groups identity or purpose.”
Secular homeschool group located in Castle Rock.
Denver Inclusive Homeschoolers
“Home schooling families in and around Denver, CO. This group is for announcing and organizing social activities, field trips, classes and other opportunities for local home schoolers. It is also for the community of local home schoolers to support one another. This group is inclusive of all philosophies and thus respectful dialog is a requirement.”
Northern Colorado Homeschool Association
Northern Colorado Homeschool Association (NCHA) is a non-profit group for homeschooling parents and children of all ages. The majority of our families live along the Northern Colorado Front Range (Fort Collins, Windsor, Loveland Area). We are an inclusive, secular, eclectic, local, member-run organization that honors the diversity of homeschoolers and provides a supportive community for our members.
