Homeschool Option #1  Colo.Rev.Stat. 22-33-104.5

Getting Started-Letter of Intent to Home School

     Pursuant to Colorado law, parents who wish to begin home schooling must provide written notification of the establishment of the home school program 14 days before beginning the home school program to a Colorado school district. The written notification must include the name, age, place of residence, and number of attendance hours for each child that will be participating in the home school program. Written notification must be re-submitted to a Colorado school district each year.  Colorado law requires that every child who is 6 years old on or before August of the current school year, and under the age of 17, must have a notice submitted.  However, instruction isn’t mandated until the child turns 7.

 

Subjects to Teach

     Colorado law states that home school programs must include, but are not limited to, the subjects of communication skills of reading, writing, and speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature, science, and regular courses of instruction in the constitution of the United States. 

 

Attendance Requirements

     Home school programs must have no less than 172 days of instruction, averaging 4 contact hours per day (688 hours=4hours/172 days).

 

Record Keeping

     Records for each child participating in a home school program must be kept on a permanent basis by the parent who is overseeing the home school program.  The records must include, but are not limited to, attendance, test and evaluation results, and immunization records as required by C.R.S sections 25-4-901, 25-4-902, and 25-4-903.  The records must be produced and provided to the school district that received the written notification at the school district’s request. 

 

Assessment/Evaluation

      Students must have academic progress evaluated 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. 

 

Homeschool Option #2   Colo.Rev.Stat. 22-33-104(2)(b)

• People in Interest of DB 767 P.2d 801 (Colo. App.1988)

Umbrella School

     An umbrella school is an independent school that allows teaching at home under the supervision of the independent school.  All records are kept by the independent/umbrella school.  Different umbrella schools have different guidelines and rules.

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Homeschool Option #3   Colo.Rev.Stat. 22.33.104(2)(I)

Parent Teaching Professional

     If a parent or someone else the parent designates, holds a valid Colorado teaching certificate, there are no requirements including notification and assessment.

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Homeschool Option #4 (this is not “homeschool” but public school at home)

Enroll in an online public school program.  There are many Colorado based online learning programs.