Name: Spreading the Feast Gathering
Start: 2025-07-11T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-07-12T23:59:59-05:00
Location: LaGrange, KY

Tagged: CO law, Homeschooling in Colorado

This topic has 12 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 3 months ago by sarah2106.

Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)

Author
Posts
December 10, 2013 at 6:31 am
anniepeter
Participant
We are considering a move to Fort Collins. I’m just wondering if anyone here could give guidance with compliance with state laws, if this happens. I see it’s a bit different than I’m used to (I read HSLDA’s info) and it may be nice to have someone to chat with about best ways to comply.
December 10, 2013 at 11:43 pm
6boys1girl
Participant
Hi,
We don’t homeschool in CO anymore but did until 2 years ago. I’d be willing to answer any questions I can.
The homeschool laws are fairly easy.
You could chose to be under an “umbrella school” – like a private school that you register with and then teach your own thing under their name. You have to send in a curriculum list and a planned days of school list (178 required) at the beginning of the year and then corrected info at the end of the year. Standarized testing is required at the end of grades 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11.
Or you can register with the public schools – they just need basic info, I believe (I’m less familiar with this one as we used an umbrella school). But I believe it is student names, grades or ages (not both but don’t remember which), planned days, standardized test scores.
Certain subjects are required but they are the standard ones – math, science, history, LA, government, CO history, etc – so usually no trouble there.
There is a great homeschool group in Loveland, CO (just south of FC). I don’t know about the FC homeschool group anymore as it’s been too long since we lived there (we lived in FC, Loveland and Greeley at different times). I could maybe put you in touch with someone if you do end up there to help you get hooked up.
Let me know if I can answer anything else or is you want me to hook you up with someone if you do move.
-Rebecca
December 11, 2013 at 2:14 pm
anniepeter
Participant
Thank you very much! I may do that. So it sounds like standardized testing is required either way you go. That wasn’t very clear to me. So that’s nice to know.
December 11, 2013 at 2:27 pm
retrofam
Participant
I homeschooled in CO ten years ago. There was an option to use an evaluator instead of standard testing. You can hire a private, home school- friendly evaluator instead of testing. The evaluator looks at a portfolio you compile and it is usually low key. I was going to go that route, but we moved before my child was of age. You can also wait until the end of year to test/evaluate so the child knows more.
Hth,
C
December 11, 2013 at 7:50 pm
6boys1girl
Participant
Yes, you can use an individual evaluator. They will usually administer a standardized test though (at least the ones I looked into did). But it is more personal and child-centered. I did do this once since once of my kids really needed that.
You can also use something like Seton testing that you administer yourself and send in the results once they are graded by the company. I used this option once also.
There are also some Christian groups there that offer 1x a week classes and testing (you can get the testing without the classes if you want) so that would also be an option.
Most people test at the end of the year (so end of 3rd grade) as the tests do look at what should have been learned that school year. As far as the “grades” from the tests, I believe the child needs to score above the 13th percentile or be making progress in the case of LD for it not to be a concern.
-Rebecca
March 5, 2014 at 7:08 pm
Angela
Participant
Okay, this is probably a really dumb question, but when certain subjects are “required” do they mean every year? I know Colorado requires the normal subjects (reading, writing, math) but it also says “speaking, government and the US constitution.” So would I teach those every year? And how the heck do I teach government and the constitution to a first grader??
March 5, 2014 at 10:55 pm
sarah2106
Participant
I am in Colorado.
You do not have specific subjects, and are not required to tell what you teach. You are required to average 4 hours and 172 days of instruction. Starting at the end of 3rd grade do testing every other year and submit the final score to your reporting district.
The school send me a reporting form that asks for a lot more information than legally required. I use the HSLDA form because it is all they can legally ask for, name and age.
I also keep records, attendance, and samples throughout the year just in case we are ever asked. But I find that helpful for many reasons (like helping me remember the skills of siblings at similar age since I can never remember and think either behind or a head) 🙂
I find HSing in CO to be very easy
March 5, 2014 at 11:02 pm
sarah2106
Participant
Where did you see
“Speaking, government and the US constitution.”
Just curious. I did not see that on the HSLDA legal analysis
March 6, 2014 at 12:15 am
Angela
Participant
On the HSLDA paper on Colorado, at the very top below “Compulsory Attendance Ages” and “Required Days of Instruction” it says “Required Subjects”:
Including, but not limited to, Constitution of the United States, reading, writing, speaking, math, history, civics, literature, and science. Colo. Rev. Stat. § 22-33-104.5(3)(d)
I just wasn’t sure if that meant I had to teach all these subjects every year or just at some point.

March 6, 2014 at 12:27 am
Angela
Participant
Another question:
When you send in the standardized test, do you have to pick a specific school to send it to or do you send it to the same office that you send your NOI?
March 6, 2014 at 1:52 pm
sarah2106
Participant
Oops, right in front of my nose. I will likely message HSLDA about it for my own info, but I would think it means “teach at soome point” because it does not give grades specifically. Also speaking, that is narration (gathering thoughts to tell it back), Constitution of the US that seems to come up just talking about the news and reading current events (we like God’s World News) civics is about citizenship and what it means, so that comes up just in conversation too.
You send the test scores to the district that you send your letter if intent to. I chose our local district.
March 6, 2014 at 5:48 pm
Angela
Participant
Thank you!!
If you get back any info regarding this could you please post? Pretty please?
And duh! I should have known “speaking” would be covered by daily narrations. I don’t know what I was thinking.
March 6, 2014 at 10:38 pm
sarah2106
Participant
Have not checked with HSLDA but CHEC is a great resource for Colorado information. Here is info on testing http://www.chec.org/resources-2/resource-center/testing/#IS Options