Colorado homeschool requirements
To homeschool in Colorado, file a written Notice of Intent with a school district at least 14 days before starting, then annually. Provide 172 days averaging 4 hours, and test or evaluate in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
Last reviewed June 5, 2026 · corrected September 19, 2026 · Sources below
Colorado homeschool requirements at a glance
- Notice
- RequiredWhere it goes: A Colorado school district (any district, not necessarily your own). When: At least 14 days before beginning home-based education; annually thereafter.
- Required subjects
- Reading, Writing, Speaking, Mathematics, History, Civics/Government, Literature, Science, U.S. Constitution
- Instruction time
- 172 days · 4 hrs/day172 days averaging 4 instructional contact hours per day.
- Testing or evaluation
- Yes — grades 3, 5, 7, 9, 11Testing or evaluation in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. Results are reported to the district (or the overseeing independent/parochial school). No minimum score; a nationally-normed test, not the Colorado state assessment.
- Records
- Yes — attendance, assessment results, immunizations
- Parent qualifications
- Not required
- Compulsory attendance ages
- 6–17
- Ways to homeschool
- Independent (Notice of Intent to a school district)
- Law
- C.R.S. §§ 22-33-104, 22-33-104.5
- Official source
- ed.cde.state.co.us ↗
Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in Colorado?
Yes. Colorado requires homeschooling families to file a notice. Where it goes: A Colorado school district (any district, not necessarily your own). How: Written notice including the child's name, age, residence, and hours of attendance. When: At least 14 days before beginning home-based education; annually thereafter. Re-file each school year. The ages that bind a home-based program are not the same as the compulsory attendance ages: notice is not required until the child is six, the program need not be established until the child is seven, and neither the program nor the notice is required after the child is sixteen (C.R.S. § 22-33-104.5(3)(e)). Colorado's compulsory attendance law itself runs from age six to under seventeen (C.R.S. § 22-33-104(1)(a)), and a child in a home-based program is exempt from it.
What subjects does Colorado require homeschoolers to teach?
Colorado requires instruction in Reading, Writing, Speaking, Mathematics, History, Civics/Government, Literature, Science, and U.S. Constitution. Per C.R.S. § 22-33-104.5(3)(d). No mandated curriculum — the parent selects materials.
How many days or hours of instruction does Colorado require?
Colorado's rule: 172 days averaging 4 instructional contact hours per day.
Is standardized testing required to homeschool in Colorado?
Yes. Colorado requires a test or another accepted form of evaluation. How often: Biennial (in the specified grades only). Accepted options: nationally-normed standardized achievement test and evaluation by a qualified person chosen by the parent. Testing or evaluation in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. Results are reported to the district (or the overseeing independent/parochial school). No minimum score; a nationally-normed test, not the Colorado state assessment.
What records do I need to keep to homeschool in Colorado?
Colorado requires these records: attendance data, test or evaluation results, and immunization records. How long, or where they go: Kept by the parent; a district may request with 14 days' written notice and probable cause. Records are not routinely submitted.
Do parents need a teaching certificate or other qualification to homeschool in Colorado?
No. Colorado does not set a general qualification for homeschooling parents. No license required. A parent, guardian, or designated adult relative may supervise.
What ages does Colorado's compulsory attendance law cover?
Colorado's compulsory attendance law covers children from age 6 to age 17.
What are the ways to homeschool in Colorado?
In Colorado, families homeschool under this pathway: independent (Notice of Intent to a school district).
Is homeschooling legal in Colorado?
Yes. Homeschooling is legal in Colorado, as it is in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. To homeschool in Colorado, file a written Notice of Intent with a school district at least 14 days before starting, then annually. Provide 172 days averaging 4 hours, and test or evaluate in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
How to get started in Colorado
Recent homeschool law changes in Colorado
Sources for Colorado
Every requirement above comes from our review of Colorado’s rules, checked against these sources on June 5, 2026 and corrected on September 19, 2026 after re-reading the official source for what changed. Homeschool law changes, and a state can amend its rules between our reviews — read the official source before you file anything or rely on a date here. How we review state requirements.
Nearby states
States that share a border with Colorado:
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