Colorado Homeschool Laws and Requirements
Aug 14, 2026Homeschooling is legal in Colorado, and the most common route is a nonpublic home-based educational program. You give written notice to a Colorado school district 14 days before you begin, teach the subjects the statute names across at least 172 days averaging four contact hours a day, keep permanent records, and have your child's progress evaluated in five specific grades. Two other routes exist: instruction by a Colorado licensed teacher, and enrollment in an independent or parochial school that supervises education at home.
Last Reviewed: August 14, 2026. Reviewed by the Modern Homeschools Editorial Team. Next scheduled review: August 14, 2027.
Colorado Homeschool Requirements at a Glance
| Topic | What applies in Colorado |
|---|---|
| Compulsory attendance ages | A parent need not establish the program until the child is seven, and need not continue it after the child is sixteen |
| Notification or registration | Written notice to any Colorado public school district office, 14 days before establishing the program, giving each child's name, age, place of residence, and number of attendance hours |
| Legal pathway or homeschool definition | A nonpublic home-based educational program under section 22-33-104.5. Instruction by a Colorado licensed teacher, or enrollment in an independent or parochial school, are separate routes |
| Parent or instructor qualifications | No credential is required for the home-based program. The licensed teacher route requires a Colorado licensed teacher |
| Required subjects | Communication skills of reading, writing, and speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature, science, and regular courses of instruction in the constitution of the United States |
| Instructional time | No less than 172 days of instruction, averaging four instructional contact hours per day |
| Testing or evaluation | Academic progress is evaluated in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11, using either a nationally standardized achievement test or an evaluation by a qualified person |
| Required records | Kept permanently by the parent overseeing the education, including attendance data, test and evaluation results, and immunization records |
| Responsible government agency | The district where you filed the notice receives your evaluation results. The Colorado Department of Education publishes the statewide guidance |
The Three Routes
Nonpublic home-based educational program. This is the route the requirements above describe: the 14 day notice, the named subjects, 172 days at an average of four contact hours, permanent records, and evaluation in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
Instruction by a Colorado licensed teacher. A licensed teacher provides the instruction. This is a distinct legal basis rather than a variation on the home-based program.
Enrollment in an independent or parochial school. Your child enrolls in a nonpublic school that supervises education at home, and the school carries obligations the family would otherwise handle. A supervising school may also set its own additional requirements, so ask the school what it expects before you enroll.
How to Start Homeschooling in Colorado
- Send the notice 14 days ahead. Written notification goes to any Colorado public school district office, and it must arrive 14 days before you establish the program.
- Include the four items. Each child's name, age, place of residence, and number of attendance hours.
- Plan 172 days at four hours. The hours figure is an average across the year rather than a rigid daily minimum.
- Cover the named subjects. Reading, writing, and speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature, science, and instruction in the United States constitution.
- Start your permanent record file. Attendance, test and evaluation results, and immunization records are kept on a permanent basis.
Testing, Attendance, and Record Keeping
Evaluation happens in five grades: 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. You choose between a nationally standardized achievement test and an evaluation of academic progress by a qualified person, so a family uncomfortable with testing has a real alternative.
Results do get submitted. They go to the school district where you filed your letter of intent, or to the independent or parochial school if your child is enrolled in one. This is the main point at which a Colorado homeschool sends something back to a district after the initial notice.
Everything else stays with you, permanently. The parent overseeing the education keeps records for each child, including attendance data, test and evaluation results, and immunization records. Because the statute says permanent, treat this file as something you keep well past the year in question rather than something you clear out each spring.
Official Colorado Homeschool Resources
- Colorado Department of Education, Homeschool in Colorado
- Colorado Department of Education, Frequently Asked Questions about Home Schooling
Beginning Your Homeschool Journey?
Your First 30 Days of Homeschooling provides a practical path for establishing your priorities, planning your next steps, and creating a rhythm that works for your family.
Modern Homeschools provides educational information to help families understand and navigate homeschooling requirements. Because requirements may change, families should confirm current details with the official state sources linked within this guide.