Homeschooling in Colorado

Your options

(1) Non-accredited home-based education under CRS 22-33-104.5: the parent, guardian or a designated adult relative teaches, with notice to a district. (2) An independent or parochial school, e.g. an umbrella school: the statute lets results be reported to one, and it is the required placement if a child scores at or below the 13th percentile. (3) Instruction by a licensed teacher under CRS 22-33-104(2) – NOT confirmed on an official page. (Not confirmed – check the official page)

Notice or letter of intent

Written notice to any Colorado school district at least 14 days before homeschooling starts, and every year after. It gives the child's name, age, residence and attendance hours. If that is not your district of residence, notify your own district too. Not required until age 6.

Our Colorado notice template (check it against the law before you send it).

Subjects, time, assessment and records

Subjects

Reading, writing and speaking; mathematics; history; civics; literature; science; and the US Constitution.

Days or hours

At least 172 days a year, averaging 4 instructional contact hours a day.

Testing or assessment

In grades 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11: a nationally standardised achievement test, or an evaluation by a qualified person at the parent's expense. Results go to the district that got the notice, or to an independent/parochial school. At or below the 13th percentile, or insufficient progress: the child may be retested; otherwise they must enroll in a public, independent or parochial school until the next testing period.

Records

Keep attendance records, test/evaluation results and immunization records. A district can ask for them on 14 days' written notice if it has probable cause.

Parent qualifications

None. Teaching may be by a parent, guardian or adult relative designated by the parent. Evaluators must be a licensed teacher, an independent/parochial school teacher, a licensed psychologist, or hold a graduate degree in education.

Other rules

Immunization records must be kept (see Records). Homeschooling is not accredited and gets no public funding. No state diploma.

Official forms

No state form; each district receives the notice of intent.

The law

CRS 22-33-104.5 – read the law

Not yet confirmed: the statute link is the Colorado Department of Education’s unofficial reprint of the law. Check your state’s official page: Colorado official page.

Who to contact

• Colorado Department of Education (CDE) – Schools of Choice OfficeEmail: use the contact details on the official page · 720-760-0865 · Official pageWho handles notices: Local district

Where an office lists only a staff member’s own email address, we link the official page instead.

Special education and public school classes and sports

Extracurriculars (CRS 22-33-104.5(6), 22-32-116.5): homeschoolers may take part on an equal basis in any public school extracurricular or interscholastic activity. Schools may not require course enrollment unless the activity extends a course (e.g. a performing arts group). Fees may fund only that activity. Part-time public school enrollment is possible, and districts may count part-time students for funding (CDE Part-Time Programs pages). Special education was not stated.

Federal rules on Child Find and evaluations apply in every state – see special education.

Going back to public school in Colorado

To enroll your child in a public school in Colorado, contact the enrollment or registration office of your local school district or public school. Ask how it decides grade placement and whether it accepts credits from homeschooling before your child starts, and bring the records you choose to share. We didn’t find a state rule on this for Colorado in the official sources we checked – see the Colorado official page and ask the district.

See going back to school after homeschooling for what to bring, placement, credits and special education.