State Requirements
Homeschooling in Colorado
Colorado has moderate homeschool requirements. Families must provide at least 4 hours per day over 172 school days, and you'll file notice with your local school district.
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If you're homeschooling in Colorado, you're working inside a moderately regulated framework with enough structure to keep the state informed but plenty of room to build a family-shaped program. Compulsory attendance in Colorado covers children ages 6-16, which means a homeschool program needs to be in place for any child in that range.
The instructional requirement in Colorado is defined in two dimensions: 4 hours of teaching per day, times 172 days in the school year. Parents build a schedule that fits their household. Some days are heavy on formal lessons, others rely on field trips, co-ops, or project-based learning, and all of it contributes to the yearly total of roughly 688 hours.
Notice filing is the gateway for Colorado homeschool families: a short document submitted to your local school district sets the record straight for the year ahead. Most districts accept a straightforward letter listing each student, their grade level, and a brief statement of intent.
Assessment in Colorado takes the form of parent's choice (testing, portfolio, or evaluation) at specified grade levels. It's more of a pulse-check on how learning is landing than a pass/fail exam.
The required subjects in Colorado (reading, writing, speaking, math, history, civics, literature, science, and constitution) form the backbone of each year's plan, with real freedom in how deeply or creatively each is taught. The record-keeping side of homeschooling doesn't need to dominate Colorado families' evenings. Homeschool Fox lets you log activities as they happen, then builds the compliance picture on its own.
At a glance
4 hours/day
× 172 days ≈ 688 hours/year
Ages 6-16
Compulsory attendance
Notice requirements
Notice is required
You must notify your local school district of your intent to homeschool.
Need a head start? Use the free Notice of Intent generator to draft a Colorado-ready letter.
Deeper guides: how to write a notice of intent to homeschool covers the language admins look for, and when and where to file your notice of intent covers state-by-state deadlines and recipients.
Generate your notice of intentWithdrawing from public school
To withdraw your child from public school in Colorado, send a written withdrawal letter to the principal or registrar, then file a notice of intent with your local school district so the transition is on record before instruction begins. Rather than hand-writing the withdrawal letter, Homeschool Fox produces a pre-formatted PDF ready to send to the district.
For the play-by-play, how to withdraw your child from public school walks through the conversation, the timing, and the paperwork. What to send the district when you pull your child covers exactly what the letter should and shouldn't say.
Assessment requirements
Assessment is required
- Type:
- Parent's choice (testing, portfolio, or evaluation)
- Frequency:
- At specified grade levels
Standardized testing for homeschoolers walks through which test to choose, where to register, and how to prep.
Portfolio & records
Portfolio not required
Colorado law doesn't require a formal portfolio, but families must keep attendance data, the results of each test or evaluation, and immunization records. These are produced only if the superintendent has probable cause to question compliance.
Required subjects
Colorado requires instruction in the following subjects.
Additional notes
File written notification 14 days before starting. Testing or evaluation required in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
Calculate your Colorado hours
Colorado requires 688 hours/year. Enter how far you've come and we'll show you the daily pace to finish on time.
Leave at 0 if you haven't started tracking yet
Enter an end date to see your targets
Target
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hours per day
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hours per week
Prefer a full-page version? Open the standalone hours calculator.
Sources
Verified May 2026
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to notify anyone to homeschool in Colorado?
How many hours do I need to homeschool in Colorado?
Does Colorado require testing for homeschoolers?
Do I need to keep a portfolio in Colorado?
What subjects must I teach in Colorado?
Nearby states
View all statesWant the cross-state comparison? Homeschool laws by state covers the legal regime in every state side by side.
What we track
Track your 688 Colorado hours automatically
Log activities by voice or text and Homeschool Fox rolls them up against Colorado's requirements automatically. Free for 14 days.
- Hours toward 688-hour goal
- Attendance days toward 172-day goal
- Subject coverage (core & non-core)
- Activity log (text, voice, AI-parsed)
- Portfolios & PDF year-end reports
- Transcripts with GPA & credits
- Test scores & evaluations
- Notice of intent & withdrawal letters
14-day free trial. No credit card required.