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Homeschooling in Colorado

A year-round Colorado homeschool marketplace — curriculum, tutoring, therapy, STEM, arts and enrichment providers, plus a plain-English guide to the home-based education law, where Colorado stands on school choice, part-time public school programs, CHSAA activities, concurrent enrollment and college aid.

Colorado homeschooling by topic

Colorado Homeschool Options at a glance

Notice to the state: Send a written notice of intent to any Colorado school district 14 days before you start, and again every year you continue. It certifies only each child's name, age, place of residence and number of hours of attendance (C.R.S. 22-33-104.5(3)(e)). CDE does not collect notices, and its FAQ suggests also notifying your district of residence if you file elsewhere, to avoid truancy action. A child who was habitually truant in the last six months of school needs a written description of the curriculum with the notice.
Days, subjects and teacher: At least 172 days of instruction, averaging four instructional contact hours a day. Required subjects include reading, writing and speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature, science and the U.S. Constitution. The teacher must be the parent or an adult relative the parent designates; no teaching license is needed (C.R.S. 22-33-104.5(2)-(3)).
Testing or evaluation: In grades 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11, either a nationally standardized achievement test or an evaluation by a qualified person (a Colorado-licensed teacher, a teacher at a private school, a licensed psychologist, or someone with a graduate degree in education), at the parent's cost. Results go to the district that got your notice or to a Colorado independent or parochial school. A composite score at or below the 13th percentile, after a chance to retest, means the child must attend a public or private school until the next testing period (C.R.S. 22-33-104.5(3)(f), (5)).
Compulsory school age: Every child who is 6 on or before August 1 and under 17 must attend school, unless an exception applies, such as a home-based education program, a private school enrolling the child for at least 172 days, or instruction at home by a licensed teacher (C.R.S. 22-33-104). For a home-based program, the law does not require a notice until the child is 6, or the program until the child is 7, and does not require the program or notice after the child turns 16 (C.R.S. 22-33-104.5(3)(e)).
School choice status: As of October 2026, Colorado's school choice is public school choice: open enrollment across districts without tuition, charter schools, online schools, innovation schools and free universal preschool hours. Colorado has no state voucher, ESA or tax credit scholarship. Amendment 80 failed in November 2024 (49.3% yes; it needed 55%). A Colorado Supreme Court plurality held Douglas County's 2011 voucher unconstitutional in 2015; that ruling was vacated in 2017. Colorado is on the IRS list for the federal scholarship tax credit from January 1, 2027.
Federal scholarship tax credit (from 2027): Colorado is on the IRS list of states taking part for 2027 (as of October 22, 2026). Starting January 1, 2027, an individual may claim a federal credit of up to
,700 ($3,400 if filing jointly) for cash gifts to a qualifying scholarship granting organization (SGO). The Colorado Department of Revenue compiles the state's SGO list: SGOs apply at sgo.colorado.gov by November 30, 2026, and the state sends its list to the IRS by January 1, 2027.
Homeschool status: CDE says there is no funding available for homeschooling. What homeschool families can use: part-time enrollment in public school classes or a part-time program for homeschool students (one funded program per student; a current notice of intent is required), CHSAA and other activities at a public school (C.R.S. 22-32-116.5), concurrent enrollment through a local education provider that enrolls the student, the state tests on request (at the parent's cost), and child find evaluations through the school district.

Read the full guide: Colorado Homeschool Options — Home-Based Education Law, Where Colorado Stands on School Choice, Part-Time Programs, CHSAA and College Aid

Coming up in Colorado

Sat, Nov 7, 2026 · Denver Arts Week Free Night at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Denver · Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd · Free general admission (5–10 p.m.)
Free evening admission (5–10 p.m.) during Visit Denver's Night at the Museums, when more than a dozen Denver museums stay open late with free shuttles between them. Planetarium and theater shows cost extra.
Sat, Nov 7, 2026 · Mesa Experience Visit Day (Colorado Mesa University)
Grand Junction · Colorado Mesa University, University Center, Meyer Ballroom · Free
Colorado Mesa University's in-person visit program (9 a.m.–2 p.m.) for prospective students and families.
Sat, Nov 7, 2026 · SAT Weekend Test Date (November 2026)
Statewide · SAT test centers across Colorado · SAT registration fee; late registration costs extra; fee waivers for eligible students
National SAT weekend administration; registration deadline Oct. 23, 2026 (11:59 p.m. ET).
Sat, Nov 7, 2026 · SCFD Free Night: Denver Arts Week Night at the Museum
Denver · Denver Museum of Nature & Science · Free (museum admission free all evening)
Explore art, nature and science at the Museum from 5 to 10 p.m. as it joins Denver's cultural institutions in a free evening celebrating Denver Arts Week. Museum admission is free all evening; a separate ticket is needed for the Sturm…
Sun, Nov 8, 2026 · Incoming! Hard-hitting stories of our cosmic origins
Boulder · Fiske Planetarium
A show about asteroids, comets, and the hard-hitting stories of our cosmic origins, narrated by George Takei. Shown at 1pm.
Tue, Nov 10, 2026 · Social Studies Studio: Winning the Vote
Denver · Molly Brown House Museum
Standards-aligned social studies lesson for grades 2–6 using primary sources, artifact analysis, games, and discussion. Part of the Social Studies Studio series.
Wed, Nov 11, 2026 · Denver Zoo Free Day
Denver · Denver Zoo, City Park · Free (timed tickets)
One of the Denver Zoo's 2026 free days; free tickets are released online on Oct. 28.
Wed, Nov 11, 2026 · Free Entrance Day at National Parks (Veterans Day)
Statewide · National Park Service sites in Colorado that charge an entrance fee · Free entrance for U.S. citizens and residents
The National Park Service waives entrance fees on Veterans Day. Starting in 2026, free entrance days apply to U.S. citizens and residents only.
Wed, Nov 11, 2026 · Homeschool Day: Simple Machines (Western Museum of Mining & Industry)
Colorado Springs · Western Museum of Mining & Industry, 225 N Gate Blvd
A 1–2:30 p.m. homeschool session on simple machines, taught in the classroom, the museum and around the historic campus.
Wed, Nov 11, 2026 · Homeschool Day - Simple Machines
Colorado Springs · Western Museum of Mining & Industry, 225 N Gate Blvd
A monthly homeschool session featuring a STEM or Colorado History topic, with exploration in the classroom, the museum, and the historic Museum Campus, from 1:00 to 2:30 pm.

See all 148 upcoming Colorado events

Colorado homeschool & school choice news

State Board of Education approves emergency transfer of six online schools to District 49 — Colorado Department of Education
State board remands one charter appeal and denies another in Littleton — Colorado Department of Education
Supreme Court to decide if states can ban Catholic preschools from getting public funding — Deseret News
Colorado Department of Revenue opens application for scholarship granting organizations to join Colorado's eligibility list for new federal tax credit — The Pagosa Springs Sun
State board sends Pueblo charter application back to local district — Colorado Department of Education

All news & regulations

Co-ops, groups and vendors

240 homeschool co-ops, support groups, microschools and hybrid schools across Colorado — browse the list. Homeschool vendors serving Colorado.

Homeschooling by city

Colorado Springs · Grand Junction · Littleton · Denver · Castle Rock · Fort Collins · Lakewood · Aurora · Centennial · Greeley · Longmont · Brighton · Elizabeth · Highlands Ranch · Kansas City · Monument · Parker · Pueblo · Thornton · Arvada · Boulder · Durango · Leadville · Windsor · Canon City · Carbondale · Delta · Englewood · Erie · Golden · Granby · Greenwood Village · Liberty · Lone Tree · Loveland · Montrose · Pagosa Springs · Peyton · Westminster · Woodland Park · all cities

Articles for Colorado families

Where Colorado Stands on School Choice in October 2026, in Plain English

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