Colorado Homeschool Requirements Checklist
Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in Colorado, based on C.R.S. 22-33-104.5. Colorado is classified as Moderate regulation.
This is the general checklist for Home-Based Education, the most common of Colorado's 2 pathways. Our free wizard customizes this for your family, including grade, pathway, enrollment status, and IEP.
Your compliance checklist
Do first
File your Notice of Intent
Submit to superintendent of the school district in which the child resides. Deadline: 14 calendar days before beginning home-based education program.
Deadline: 14 calendar days before beginning home-based education program
More details
This is a notification, not a request for permission. The district does not approve or deny. If the family moves to a new district mid-year, a new notification must be filed with the new district.
Withdrawal letter recommended
A formal letter isn't required, but it is recommended if your child is enrolled in school. Send it to current school and school district superintendent.
Deadline: Before you start (if enrolled)
More details
No specific statutory withdrawal form mandated by the state. The 14-day advance notification to the district superintendent serves as the formal mechanism. Advisable to also notify the child's current school to avoid truancy referrals. Practices vary by district.
Ongoing
Required subjects
reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature, science, United States Constitution
More details
The statute does not prescribe specific curricula, textbooks, or standards. Families have full discretion in how to teach these subjects. The U.S. Constitution requirement reflects C.R.S. 22-1-108.
Meet instructional time requirements
Minimum: 688 hours/year, 172 days/year, 4 hours/day. You must track and document hours.
More details
172 days of instruction per school year, averaging 4 contact hours per day (CRS 22-33-104.5). This equals approximately 688 hours/year. The 172-day requirement is fewer than the 180 days required for public schools.
Show your child's progress
Standardized test or Teacher evaluation — at specific grade levels. At grades: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. Minimum: 13th percentile composite on a nationally standardized achievement test.
More details
Nationally standardized achievement tests selected by the parent from a state board-approved list. Alternative: evaluation by a qualified person chosen by the parent. If composite score is at or below the 13th percentile, the district may require placement in public or private school until the next testing period, but the child must first be given the opportunity to retest using an alternate version or different approved test. Test results must be maintained by the parent and produced to the district upon request (no proactive submission required). If below threshold: Retest opportunity with alternate version or different approved test. If retest fails, placement in school until next testing period. District may require placement in public, independent, or parochial school
Keep basic records
You must maintain: attendance records. Records may be reviewed by the district.
More details
Parents must maintain attendance records documenting 172 days of instruction, plus test results and evaluations at required grade levels. Records must be made available for inspection by the school district upon 14 days' written notice. The district does not have the right to inspect records without providing this advance notice.
Renew each year
You must renew your homeschool notice each year by before the beginning of each school year (14 days advance notice).
More details
Annual notification is required. Test results must be maintained and available upon request, but no proactive reporting to the district is required.
Filing requirements
- What to file
- simple notice
- Send to
- superintendent of the school district in which the child resides
- Deadline
- 14 calendar days before beginning home-based education program
- How often
- annual
This is a notification, not a request for permission. The district does not approve or deny. If the family moves to a new district mid-year, a new notification must be filed with the new district.
C.R.S. §22-33-104.5(3)
Ongoing requirements
Required subjects
- ✓reading
- ✓writing
- ✓speaking
- ✓mathematics
- ✓history
- ✓civics
- ✓literature
- ✓science
- ✓United States Constitution
The statute does not prescribe specific curricula, textbooks, or standards. Families have full discretion in how to teach these subjects. The U.S. Constitution requirement reflects C.R.S. 22-1-108.
C.R.S. §22-33-104.5(2)(a)
Instructional time
- Days per year:
- 172
- Hours per year:
- 688
- Hours per day:
- 4
172 days of instruction per school year, averaging 4 contact hours per day (CRS 22-33-104.5). This equals approximately 688 hours/year. The 172-day requirement is fewer than the 180 days required for public schools.
C.R.S. §22-33-104.5(2)(b)
Testing and assessment
- Accepted types
- Standardized test, Teacher evaluation
- Frequency
- at specific grade levels
- At grades
- 3, 5, 7, 9, 11
- Minimum score
- 13th percentile composite on a nationally standardized achievement test
Nationally standardized achievement tests selected by the parent from a state board-approved list. Alternative: evaluation by a qualified person chosen by the parent. If composite score is at or below the 13th percentile, the district may require placement in public or private school until the next testing period, but the child must first be given the opportunity to retest using an alternate version or different approved test. Test results must be maintained by the parent and produced to the district upon request (no proactive submission required).
See our full assessment guide for Colorado for details.
C.R.S. §22-33-104.5(2)(c)
Recordkeeping
- ✓Attendance records
Records may be reviewed by the district.
Parents must maintain attendance records documenting 172 days of instruction, plus test results and evaluations at required grade levels. Records must be made available for inspection by the school district upon 14 days' written notice. The district does not have the right to inspect records without providing this advance notice.
C.R.S. §22-33-104.5(2)(d)
Reporting
- Annual renewal
- Required by before the beginning of each school year (14 days advance notice)
Annual notification is required. Test results must be maintained and available upon request, but no proactive reporting to the district is required.
C.R.S. §22-33-104.5(3)
Other ways to homeschool in Colorado
This checklist covers Home-Based Education, the most common pathway. Colorado offers 2 different ways to homeschool, each with different requirements:
- •Home-Based Education(this checklist) : You notify your local school district superintendent 14 days before starting, teach nine required subjects for 172 days per year, and administer a standardized test at grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. Test results stay with the family unless the district requests them. No curriculum approval and no regular reporting beyond the annual notification.
- •Enrollment in an Umbrella/Private School : You enroll in a private umbrella school and operate under its policies instead of the homeschool statute. No notification to the school district, no state-mandated testing, and no attendance tracking required by the state. Best for families who want to avoid the testing requirements of the standard pathway or prefer institutional support.
Our wizard helps you choose the right one. Compare all pathways for Colorado
Related guides
Get your personalized checklist
This is the general checklist for the most common pathway. The wizard customizes it for your family's specific situation, including grade, pathway, and IEP status.
Get your Colorado checklistRequirements sourced from C.R.S. 22-33-104.5. Verified against primary legal sources. Last verified: March 2026