Colorado Compulsory Requirements
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
This July 2026 issue is public so every Colorado homeschool family can better understand their legal homeschool path. Starting in August 2026, our newsletter will be exclusive for families enrolled in Statheros Academy and members of The Homeschool Society.
Colorado Compulsory Requirements
When we talk about homeschooling in Colorado, it is easy to jump straight to words like NOI, umbrella school, testing, evaluations, or enrichment programs. This can all be confusing when you just want to check the legal reporting fulfillment box and get onto the good stuff- homeschooling your child(ren).
But in order for these details make sense, we need to start with the foundation for education: Colorado’s compulsory school attendance law.
Compulsory attendance is the part of Colorado law that requires school-age children to receive an education. In simple terms, Colorado law says children who are 6 years old on or before August 1 and under age 17 are required to attend school unless they fall under one of the legal exceptions.
Those exceptions matter because they are what allow families to educate their children outside of full-time public school. So, let's look at them together...
For homeschool families, there are three main ways this can happen:
1. Private School / Umbrella School Enrollment
This is the path Statheros Academy families use.
When your student is enrolled with Statheros Academy, your student is enrolled in a private school. This means you are not filing a Notice of Intent to Homeschool for that student because your compulsory attendance requirement is being fulfilled through private school enrollment.
This is why we often refer to Statheros Academy as an umbrella school. We are not your curriculum provider, and we are not controlling your homeschool day. We are the private school your student is enrolled with for legal reporting purposes, and we provide support, records, transcript services, evaluations, and other resources based on the enrollment plan your family chooses. We have our own policies around required assessments to ensure kids are progressing well and receiving a well-rounded education.
2. Notice of Intent / Nonpublic Home-Based Education
This is the path The Homeschool Society (THS) families use.
When a family files an NOI, they are homeschooling under Colorado’s nonpublic home-based education law. The parent is responsible for filing the NOI, maintaining required records, completing assessments in the required years, and making sure their homeschool program follows the requirements under the NOI law.
The Homeschool Society exists to support families on this path. THS provides guidance, tools, record-keeping support, transcript resources, coaching benefits, and other services, but it does not enroll your student in a private school and does not fulfill legal reporting requirements for you.
In simple terms:
Statheros Academy = private school / umbrella school path The Homeschool Society = support for the NOI path
3. Licensed Teacher Option
Colorado law also allows a student to be instructed at home by a licensed teacher. This is a separate legal pathway and does not require the same process as filing an NOI or enrolling with an umbrella school, unless another law or program requirement applies.
So What Changed Recently with Publicly Funded Enrichment Programs That Everyone is Talking About?
Beginning with the 2026–27 school year, Colorado’s new part-time homeschool program requirements under SB26-023 changed how publicly funded enrichment programs work for homeschool families.
The key point families need to understand is this:
Students who attend private school are not eligible to enroll part-time in public school or in part-time public school programs for homeschool students.
That means families using publicly funded homeschool enrichment programs should expect to use the NOI path rather than the private school/umbrella school path for that student.
This does not mean umbrella schools are going away.
This does not mean Statheros Academy is closing.
This does not mean families cannot receive support.
It simply means families need to really understand which legal path they are using.
If your student is enrolled with Statheros Academy, your student is operating under the private school pathway.
If your student is participating in a publicly funded homeschool enrichment program, your student should be operating under the NOI pathway. If your family is using the NOI pathway and still wants support, structure, record-keeping tools, transcript help, evaluations, coaching, or guidance, that is exactly why The Homeschool Society exists.
Why This Matters
Our goal is not for families to feel overwhelmed by legal language. We want you to understand your homeschool path clearly enough that you can speak about it accurately and make confident decisions for your family, and not be rattled when you see and hear things on social.
You do not need to know every statute by heart.
But you do need to know this:
Colorado homeschool freedom exists because the compulsory attendance law provides legal exceptions to full-time public school attendance.
Once you understand that, the rest becomes much clearer.
You are either fulfilling compulsory attendance through private school enrollment, homeschooling under an NOI, or using the licensed teacher option.
This foundation matters and as laws and program rules change, understanding your foundation helps you avoid confusion, falling for misinformation, and experiencing unnecessary panic.
Resource Spotlight
Not Sure Which Path Fits Your Family? If you are trying to decide whether Statheros Academy or The Homeschool Society is the better fit for your family this year, start with our Umbrella vs. NOI information and quiz. The right option depends on how your family is homeschooling, whether you are using a publicly funded enrichment program, and how much support you want for records, assessments, transcripts, and planning.
