Homeschooling In Colorado
Colorado is a delightful state to homeschool in, the laws are fairly low regulated. It’s also a very homeschool friendly state with a lot of activities for families to do. In order to start homeschooling you will need to send in a letter of intent to your school district. Your student must get a total of 172 days of instruction for the year and records must be kept. These will need to include attendance, evaluations the student(s) have had, and immunizations record or a letter of exemption.
One of the great things about Colorado is the fact that you can enroll in an umbrella school. This means you will not need to send a letter of intent and through some of these schools you do not have to do evaluations. They will help you keep attendance and grades; all you have to do is input the information. Note, that umbrella schools are not actual schools they are just designed to help you keep records and show proof you’re following state laws. You can read more about state laws here: https://www.cde.state.co.us/choice/homeschool.
Groups and Co-ops
There are many great groups, co-ops, and classes that homeschoolers can be a part of in Colorado. They range from groups who get together to take field trips to others that are actual classes where homeschool students take a class with others. They are all over the state so no matter where you live in Colorado, you’re sure to find something that fits your needs. Currently there are more than 100 classes, co-ops and groups to choose from. You can find some of them here at this link: https://chec.org/community/homeschool-groups/.
Activities
The activities in Colorado vary from outdoor, indoor, family fun to extreme sports. If you love museums there are plenty. We have an amazing zoo that sits right on the mountain tops and offers many wonderful programs including activities geared toward homeschoolers.
There is also an amazing place called Cave of the Winds where you can take tours of the caves and learn about the history of the caves. Such as when they were discovered, how they were formed and so much more! They even have a few other attractions to enjoy while you’re there.
The Dinosaur Resource Museum will be loved by everyone who likes dinosaurs. You can see the bones, statue of dinosaurs, watch a movie about dinosaurs in Colorado. The kids can make a dinosaur print, dig for Dino fossils, and there is even an awesome gift shop so you can take home a gift.
One of my family’s favorite things to do is go to the Pioneer Museum. It’s a free museum in Colorado Springs. It has many exhibits focusing on the history of Colorado and while it’s not a huge museum it is fun and educational.
There are just a few of the many, many fun activities you can do in Colorado.
In Conclusion
All in all, Colorado is a great state to homeschool in. The laws are easy to follow, the people are friendly, there is plenty for homeschoolers and families to do. The state itself is gorgeous and diverse. Homeschooling in Colorado has a ton of advantages due to the state being very supportive, having so many educational opportunities and just being a well-rounded area to live.
Need more resources and class recommendations, Read this article by the CHEC
Interested in homeschooling in another state? Learn more in the Homeschooling In All 50 States series.
Crystal lives in Colorado with her family. She and her husband David have two kids in grades 6th and pre-k with another on the way. She has been homeschooling for almost 7 years and plans on homeschooling all of her children through high school. When she isn’t teaching her kids she likes to hike, do embroidery, read, write and make teaching resources. You can find her website here: https://homeeducatingmomma.wordpress.com/
