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Should private contractors be allowed to run state-funded programs for Colorado’s homeschoolers? If so, what guardrails should exist and how much public money should the contractors get?
These are some of the questions Colorado’s nine-member State Board of Education will answer over the next three months as they set rules governing a lightly regulated and fast-growing slice of the public education system: homeschool enrichment. The board will finalize the new rules by the end of December and they will take effect for the 2027-28 school year.
The rulemaking process, which began at Wednesday’s State Board meeting, represents the second step of a state crackdown on homeschool enrichment programs. Changes to state law last spring got the ball rolling, including a stricter approval process for certain enrichment programs seeking to operate this school year.
Of 54 enrichment programs that applied for state approval over the summer, five were approved or partially approved and 11 are awaiting decisions. Most others were rejected, didn’t submit complete applications, or couldn’t find a new authorizer after theirs abruptly dissolved.
Lawmakers changed the requirements in May amid revelations that some homeschool enrichment programs were using public dollars to subsidize private schools or provide tuition discounts to private school students. Others were providing homeschoolers with high-end activities that public school families have to pay for: skiing, horseback riding, and sports camp. Finally, some homeschool programs operated with layers of contractors and subcontractors that shielded them from public transparency, even as they received millions in state funding.
Homeschool enrichment programs typically offer one day of classes a week and are meant to give homeschooled students socialization opportunities or access to courses that are hard to provide at home. Such programs may offer math, reading, and electives such as art, music, and physical education. Others fill a niche: forest schools, aviation classes, or performing arts programming.
Colorado Department of Education staff presented two versions of homeschool enrichment rules on Wednesday, but told board members their components can be combined or amended in the coming months.
- Option A would allow only public entities, such as school districts or charter schools, to operate homeschool enrichment programs — a major change from what’s currently allowed. This option would allow the district or charter school to contract with a private group for a specific class, but the public entity would maintain control of enrollment, finances, and other operational responsibilities.
- Option B allows both public entities and private groups — but only nonprofit groups — to operate homeschool enrichment programs. Private groups could offer classes in a variety of subjects but not art, music, or physical education.
Also on Wednesday, board members discussed a separate set of rules that could require homeschool enrichment programs to double the class hours they provide to receive half-time per-pupil funding, which is about $6,000 a year on average.
Many homeschool enrichment programs currently offer about six hours of class a week, and 90 per semester. Under the proposed rule, they would have to offer 180 hours per semester. The change would make the homeschool enrichment rate less generous than it is now and similar to what public schools get for educating their students.
During Wednesday’s discussion, some State Board members advocated for substantial oversight and accountability measures.
Board member Karla Esser said she’s received comments from constituents suggesting the board has been complicit in misappropriating funds to homeschool enrichment programs in the past.
“So I am leaning very heavily towards stricter (rules) that can be verified, rather than just trust that it’s happening the way someone says it is,” she said.
Some board members, including Board President Rebecca McClellan, said they want to ensure parity between public school and homeschool enrichment students.
Giving the example of a flight training program offered through homeschool enrichment, she said, ”If we don’t have parity, we actually unwittingly create a motivation for people who otherwise would not have removed their child from full-time public schooling to do so in order to access the subsidized program.”
During Wednesday’s public comment period, a few people urged board members to go beyond just creating rules for future homeschool enrichment programs, and hold bad actors accountable for past problems. They suggested getting the state attorney general involved, or giving the state the ability to levy fines or other penalties.
“Stopping future abuse matters and the public appreciates that work,” said Liz Wilson, co-founder of the Pro-Colorado Education Project, a public education advocacy group. “Recouping money that never should have been distributed in the first place, or was not legally spent, matters too.”
Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.
