When deciding to homeschool, the biggest hurdle to overcome is understanding the laws and regulations that govern homeschooling. Each state has its own set of rules and Colorado is no exception.

Where do you start…..

The first thing to do is withdraw your child(ren) from their current school. Even though the school year has ended, unless otherwise informed, the school still considers your child enrolled for next year. It is recommended that you withdraw them before the school year starts so that they are not considered truant when they don’t show up for classes.
Next, understand state regulations and what is and is not allowed or accepted. In Colorado, the law requires students from ages 6 (by August 1) to 17 to attend public school. If not, they must be enrolled in non-public education; private, parochial, independent or home. Under homeschooling, there are two exceptions to the age regulations: 1. The Notice of Intent (NOI) must be submitted for children who are 6 by 1 August, but teaching doesn’t have to start until age 7; 2. Once a student turns 16, a NOI no longer needs to be submitted.

So what are Colorado’s state regulations…..

*This information should not be regarded as legal advice. It is your responsibility to understand the laws under which you will be homeschooling. https://www.cde.state.co.us/choice/homeschool_law
https://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-22-education/co-rev-st-sect-22-33-104-5.html

There are three options to homeschool: homeschooling under Colorado’s homeschool statute, homeschool under an independent school or umbrella school, homeschooling with a certified teacher.

Option 1: Colorado’s Homeschool Statute

Under the homeschool statute, there are regulations and requirements. First and foremost, a homeschool teacher must be the child’s parent, legal guardian or adult relative designated by the parent; no other qualifications or licenses are required.
Notice of Intent: Parents must provide a written letter of intent to homeschool to a (any) Colorado school district. The letter must be submitted 14 days prior to beginning the homeschool program and must include the name, age, residential address and hours of attendance for each child that will be home educated. (State law requires at least 172 days of instruction with an average of 4 hours per day.) Letters must be submitted to a school district each year of homeschool education.
Subjects: Colorado requires instruction in reading, writing and speaking, math, history, civics, literature, science, and US Constitution. The curriculum or teaching method/material for each subject is completely up to the parent.
Submission of a curriculum plan may be required under certain circumstances. During the six months prior to home instruction, if a student is labeled as “habitually truant”, the school district may request an education outline.
Keep Records: You must keep records for each child that is being homeschooled. Each record must include attendance, test and evaluation results, and immunization information. This information can be requested by the school district under certain circumstances, most likely if it is suspected that the homeschool program is not in compliance with state regulations. Once requested, parents have 14 days to provide the records.
Assessment / Evaluation: All students must be either tested or evaluated sometime during every odd year of home education, starting with 3rd grade. If you choose the testing option, you must use a nationally standardized assessment that provides composite results; students must achieve a composite score above 13%. The California Achievement Test (CAT) (http://www.pesdirect.com/Products/CAT5.html), the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) and Terra Nova (CTBS) (http://www.pesdirect.com/Products/Terra-Nova.html) are all acceptable tests under Colorado homeschool regulations.
For many reasons, testing may not be the best choice for some students. In those cases, an evaluation may be done. An individual meeting one of the following conditions may perform an evaluation: a Colorado licensed teacher, a teacher employed by a private school, a licensed psychologist, or a person with a graduate degree in education.
Test or evaluation results must be submitted to the same school district to which the NOI was submitted or to an independent or parochial school within Colorado. If the latter option is chosen, you must inform the school district to which the NOI was submitted where the results were sent.
Each student must show “adequate progress” (scoring above the 13th percentile on a standardized test or being evaluated as making progress according to their ability) in order for home education to continue. If they score below the 13th percentile, they can be given a different version of the same test or a different nationally recognized standardized test. If the score is still below 13%, the child will be required to attend a public, parochial, or independent school until the next testing period. The same applies to a child that has been evaluated as not making progress.

Option 2: Homeschooling Under an Independent or Umbrella School (also referred to as Non-public, Independent, Parochial, Cover, Satellite)

Under this option, paperwork and records are submitted to an umbrella school instead of the school district. Students are then taught at home by parents, but under the guidance and supervision of the school and are considered private school students. The choice of curriculum used and how and when students are taught are still the responsibility of the parent. The amount of involvement is dependent on the chosen school. Some offer additional services and amenities such as report cards, diplomas or graduation ceremonies, field trips, etc.

Option 3: Homeschooling with a certified teacher

If either the parent or designated teacher holds a valid Colorado teaching certificate, the state does not require any notifications, reporting or assessments.

Once you have chosen your homeschool path, it’s time for the adventure to begin…..