The state says. •Teach at least 172 days a year.•Average four hours of teaching a day.•Keep attendance records for each child.

You do. 1.Plan at least 172 school days.2.Log the days and hours for each child.

The state says. •There are three ways to teach at home.1.A home-based education program. This roadmap walks this one.2.Enroll in an independent or church school that oversees your teaching.3.Have a teacher with a Colorado license teach your child.•The third way does not use the home school law's notice or test.

You do. •Pick way 1 to follow this roadmap.•Ways 2 and 3 have their own rules.

Where. Step 1 of Do the steps

The state says. •Ages 6 to 17.•A child who is 6 on or before August 1 must be in school that year.•For a home school, you do not need to send a notice before age 6.•You do not have to start teaching until age 7.•No notice is needed after age 16.

You do. •Send your first notice once your child is 6.•Start teaching by age 7 at the latest.

The state says. •Yes, every year.•Send a written notice to a school district in Colorado.•It can be any district in the state.•Send it 14 days before you start.•It lists each child's name, age, home and hours of attendance.

You do. 1.Write the notice, or use a template.2.Send it 14 days before you start.3.Send a new one each year.4.Keep a copy.If you send it to a district you do not live in:•The state's education department suggests telling your home district too.

Where. Step 1 of Do the steps

The state says. •No license is needed.•The teacher is a parent or guardian.•Or an adult relative the parent picks.

You do. Choose who teaches: you, a guardian, or an adult relative you pick.

Where. Step 1 of Do the steps

The state says. Teach these subjects:•Reading, writing and speaking.•Math, history, civics, literature and science.•Civics is how the government works.•Regular lessons on the United States Constitution.•The list is a start. You may teach more.

You do. •Plan your year around these subjects.•Use the Academic Planner to see what colleges want too.

The state says. •Check progress in grades 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11.•Use a nationally standardized test. That is a test used all over the country.•Or have a qualified person check your child's work.A qualified person can be:1.a licensed teacher2.a private school teacher3.a licensed psychologist4.someone with a graduate degree in education•Send the result to the district that got your notice.•Or send it to an independent or church school in Colorado.•Is the score at or below the 13th percentile? That is the bottom 13 out of 100.•Then your child can be tested again first.•If it stays that low, the child goes to a school until the next test grade.•The same is true if a qualified person finds too little progress.

You do.

The state says. •Keep a shot record for each child in your home school file.•Or keep a statement you sign that says the child is exempt.•An exemption lets a child skip a shot.•You don't send it unless the district asks for your records.

You do. •Put one paper for each child in your home school folder.•It can be the shot record or your signed statement.

Where. Immunizations