Homeschooling in Colorado: what the state requires
The rules for homeschooling in Colorado, in plain English, from the state’s own sources.
Checked October 1, 2026 against official Colorado sources. State page: Colorado Department of Education — Homeschool and Part-Time Programs. Compulsory school age: 6 (on or before August 1) to under 17; a home-based program need not begin until age 7 or continue past age 16, and notice is not required until age 6.
Nonpublic home-based educational program (C.R.S. 22-33-104.5)
Parent sends a written notice to any Colorado school district 14 days before starting and every year after, teaches at least 172 days averaging 4 hours a day, and has the child tested or evaluated in grades 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11.
For every child
| Notice or registration | Required. 14 days prior to establishing the program, and each year thereafter — Written notification to a school district within Colorado certifying the name, age, place of residence, and number of hours of attendance of each child. Must be re-submitted each year the program continues. Not required until the child is 6. |
|---|---|
| Required subjects | reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature, science, constitution of the United States — Statute: 'communication skills of reading, writing, and speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature, science, and regular courses of instruction in the constitution of the United States.' |
| Days | 172 days — No less than 172 days of instruction. |
| Hours | 172 days of at least 4 hours. — Averaging four instructional contact hours per day. |
| Records | Required. Maintain permanent records including attendance data, test and evaluation results, and immunization records. Must be produced to the superintendent on 14 days' written notice if the superintendent has probable cause to believe the program is not in compliance. |
| Teacher | No parent qualification requirement. |
| Other | Immunization records must be kept as part of the permanent records. |
By grade
Testing or evaluation in grade 3, grade 5, grade 7, grade 9 and grade 11. Evaluated at grades 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 by a nationally standardized achievement test or by a 'qualified person' (licensed teacher, teacher at an independent or parochial school, licensed psychologist, or person with a graduate degree in education), at parent expense. Results go to the school district that received the notice or to an independent or parochial school in Colorado. Scores above the 13th percentile: program continues. At or below the 13th percentile (or evaluator finds insufficient progress): the district requires the child to be enrolled in a public or independent/parochial school until the next testing period, but only after the child has had a chance to be retested with an alternate version of the same test or a different approved nationally standardized test chosen by the parent.
High school and graduation
CDE: 'There is no state diploma'; parents may create their own diploma.
Official sources:
Not confirmed on an official state page yet: Statute read via CDE's reproduction; the official leg.colorado.gov title PDF was too large to read. Deadline for submitting test results not stated in the text reviewed.
Enrollment in an independent or parochial school (incl. schools offering home-based instruction)
Child is enrolled for at least 172 days in an independent or parochial school that provides a basic academic education; some such schools enroll home-taught students.
For every child
| Notice or registration | Not required. No parent notice to the district under this exemption; the school must provide enrollment/attendance information to districts on request (C.R.S. 22-1-114, per CDE). |
|---|---|
| Required subjects | reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature, science — CDE: non-public schools must provide a basic academic education, a sequential program of instruction including these subjects. |
| Days | 172 days — Enrolled for a minimum of 172 days (C.R.S. 22-33-104(2)(b)). |
| Testing or evaluation | Not required. Set by the school. |
| Records | Set by the school. |
By grade
No rule in this option changes with the grade.
High school and graduation
Set by the school.
Official sources:
Instruction at home by a licensed teacher
Child is instructed at home by a teacher licensed under C.R.S. article 60.5 or 61 of title 22.
For every child
| Notice or registration | Not required. |
|---|---|
| Testing or evaluation | Not required. |
| Teacher | Teacher licensed pursuant to article 60.5 or 61 of title 22. |
By grade
No rule in this option changes with the grade.
High school and graduation
The state sets no graduation requirements for homeschools under this option; the parent, as the school’s administrator, sets them and issues the diploma.
Official sources:
Not confirmed on an official state page yet: No further requirements for this exemption found on an official source.
After graduation: what to plan for
Suggestions from Homeschool Corral, not state rules. Most families keep the college path open through 10th grade, then narrow.
- 4 English, 4 math (through Algebra II, pre-calculus if they can), 3–4 science with 2 labs, 3–4 social studies, 2–3 years of one foreign language, 1 fine arts
- A one-paragraph description for every high-school course; the parent signs the transcript and diploma
- PSAT in 10th and 11th; SAT or ACT by spring of 11th; dual credit, AP or CLEP where it fits
- A log of activities, service and work from 9th grade; two adults who can recommend them
- A Scholarship Finder profile by 11th grade; FAFSA when it opens in the fall of 12th
- A diploma and transcript with 4 English, 3 math, 3 science, 3 social studies; applied math every year
- Dual-credit career and technical courses in 11th–12th; OSHA 10 and first aid/CPR; a driver’s license
- Real projects and a part-time job logged as credits, with references; visit the union hall about pre-apprenticeships in 11th
- A parent-issued diploma and full transcript, signed and dated; recruiters ask for both
- Strong reading and arithmetic for the entrance test; a practice ASVAB in 11th
- Physical fitness as a logged course; service and leadership; for an academy or ROTC, the college list plus the SAT/ACT early
- The diploma and transcript anyway; personal finance and business basics as credits
- Work experience logged with hours and a reference from 10th grade; typing, spreadsheets, a clear email
- Keep the college path open: a foreign language and Algebra II cost little now
My Homeschool turns these into a checklist for each child, with the credits recorded in Transcripts counted against the plan.
Menu of Options document: https://www.cde.state.co.us/postsecondary/graduationguidelinesmenuofoptionspdf
This is a plain-English summary of the state’s official sources, checked on the date shown. It is not legal advice, and laws change. Read the linked official pages, and check with the state or your local school district if anything is unclear.
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