Colorado offers three homeschool pathways: the “non-public home-based educational program” statute, enrollment as a private school operating in the home, or enrollment through an independent or umbrella school. The non-public home-based program is the most common.
Legal framework
Home-based education programs are governed by Colorado Revised Statutes §22-33-104.5. The Colorado Department of Education's homeschool page publishes current notification forms and guidance.
Notification & registration
Parents file a Notice of Intent to establish a home-based education program with any Colorado school district at least 14 days before starting and annually thereafter.
Recordkeeping
Colorado requires at least 172 days of instruction averaging four hours per day, and students must take a nationally standardized achievement test or be evaluated by a qualified person in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. Results are kept on file by the parent and submitted to the district or an independent or private school upon request.
Graduation requirements
Colorado does not set specific high school graduation requirements for home-based students. The parent determines completion. Aligning the transcript with the graduation guidelines published by the Colorado Department of Education is a common reference.
Who issues the diploma
The parent operating the home-based education program issues the diploma in the program's name.
College & military recognition
Colorado public colleges and universities, including the CU and CSU systems, admit home-educated graduates routinely. Homeschool graduates qualify for Tier 1 military enlistment under current DoD policy when they present a diploma and transcript.
Official source
For current statutory text, forms, and procedural updates, the authoritative source is the Colorado Department of Education. Homeschool laws change, so confirm specific requirements directly with the state before relying on them.