Southwest Home Educators Association

LEGAL HIGHLIGHTS:

The following doesn't constitute legal advice. You should obtain a copy of the homeschooling law and read it so that you are familiar with your rights. Copies can be obtained from a public library, your local school district or online at the CDE page. In summary, all Colorado children ages 7 to 16 are required to attend public school according to Colorado Statute. These are the exceptions:

1. A student may be instructed at home by a parent, a qualified person selected by the parent, or a Colorado Certified Teacher.

3. A student may be enrolled in a private school. Colorado case law has established that a student enrolled in a Colorado private school can do their school work at home. This arrangement is sometimes called an "umbrella school" and students in this situation should be aware that they are private school students and not homeschoolers in the eyes of the law. If you consider this approach, it would be wise to be familiar with the particulars of the Bohl decision and with Colorado requirements for private schools. Make sure the school you enroll with suits your needs.

4. A student may register with the local school district as a homeschooler. You will be required to;

*file a written notice of intent to homeschool with the school district, 14 days prior to the start of the homeschooling program and each year the program is maintained. The notice is only required to contain the name, age, place of residence, and number of hours of attendance planned for each child.

The 2000 Education Omnibus bill (Senate Bill 186) passed the House with provisions that affect homeschoolers in the state.

1.  Re-entry into public school.* The school MAY provide the student with a placement test. The grade placement must meet the consent of the parent, and the school district is bound to accept the homeschool transcripts.
2.  Private and homeschooled students may take the C-SAP test at their own cost, although it is not mandatory. Even if the homeschooled student is taking some classes at his or her local public school, he or she is not required to take the C-SAP test.
3.  Homeschool students can file their notice of intent in any school district in Colorado. This represents a change from the previous situation where homeschooling parents were required to file their notice of intent to homeschool with the school district in which they reside.
4.  Homeschool students who wish to participate in extracurricular activities in public school who have moved within the last year have to wait out one year before participating. The same rule applies to students attending public schools.

FOR A LISTING OF APPROVED ONLINE & DISTANCE LEARNING K-12 PROGRAMS IN COLORADO:
http://www.cde.state.co.us/edtech/distance-coloradoprograms.asp

DENVER CONNECTIONS ACADEMY:
http://www.connectionsacademy.com/state/home.asp?schoolCode=dca

Homeschoolers in Colorado are required to test their children in the odd grades using a nationally standardized test or to do an evaluation. Parents can administer these standardized tests on their own or have someone to do it for them. There are different requirements for the administration of each test. Here is a list of the most popular tests and their requirements for the administrator:

Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) - 4-year degree required

Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) - 4 year degree required; student must be tested with at least two non-relatives in the same test-level group. (Please Note: this is not the SAT that high school students take for college admission. You can find information about that test below under High School Testing)

California Achievement Test (CAT) - No requirements

RESOURCES FOR ORDERING YOUR OWN TEST

Bob Jones University Press, Testing and Evaluation Service

800-845-5731

Tests available: Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Stanford Achievement Test, Metropolitan Achievement Test

Christian Liberty Academy

847-259-4444

Tests available: California Achievement Test

Hewitt Homeschooling Resources

360-835-8708

Tests available: PASS Test (written for home educators. Norms are based on national populations as well as home educated populations.

Bayside School Services

800-723-3057

California Achievement Test (CAT)

Seton Homeschool Services

540-636-9990

CAT

FACE

303-426-8484

Cindy@faceschool.com

Family Academy of Christian Education offers the PSATs to all students that would like to take it. It is especially beneficial for 11th graders as this is where National Merit Scholarship winners are found.

Also, any family that needs to test can obtain the CAT5, CAT6 or IOWA tests, at a discounted price, through FACE. All grades are on hand for immediate use.

TESTERS & EVALUATORS

Shannon Atwater

Aurora 720-371-7099

ITBS/Woodcock-Johnson III

slatwater@comcast.net

Christian Cottage Schools

3650 W. Dawson Road

Sedalia, CO 80135

303-688-6626

Teri Spray will do consultations/curriculum designs from the Woodcock Johnson Test. She is also able to do portfolio assessments as her schedule permits (November-March). Christian Cottage Schools also offers PACE (Processing and Cognitive Enhancement).

(The following is a list of Woodcock Johnson Testers used by Christian Cottage Schools for home education programs)

Jill Bailey

Colorado Springs, CO 719-637-0797

Jan Hummel

Loveland, CO 970-667-1449

Yvonne Polhemus

Castle Rock, CO 303-688-2073

Sharon Lindsay

Sedalia, CO 303-688-9118

Colorado Heritage Education School Systems (CHESS)

Greeley 970-346-0099

1300 9th Street

Greeley, CO 80631

coloradoheritage@msn.com

www.c-h-e-s-s.org

ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills)

personal evaluation

FACE

Westminster 303-426-8484

CAT, ITBS, TerraNova/CAT 6

On-line standardized testing by CTB/McGraw Hill

Bob Crocket

Arvada 303-425-8859

Cheryl Kasson, PhD

Denver Metro Area 303-922-2797

cheryl@tde.com

evaluator, portfolio assessment, specializes in unschooling and special needs.

Judy Van Acker

Southern Colorado 719-784-6399

Jv4read@prodigy.net

Elma Field

Denver 303-423-5664

ITBS, evaluations. Also gives curriculum advice and advice on getting started.

Nancy Horne

719-495-9702

nh420mom1@msn.com

High Country Christian Academy

Colorado Springs 719-597-4222

CAT only

Moriah Christian School

Littleton

303-287-7344 (K-6) ITBS

303-480-1803 (7-12) ITBS

M. Lee Watt

Denver, Colorado 303-985-8840

Woodcock Johnson, FirstSTEP, Interactive Metronome, PACE

Dayspring Christian Schools

Greeley 970-330-1151

SAT, ACT, PSAT, PLAN. AP for Biology, English, History

Shema Christian Academy

Carol Hartz 303-678-1989 carol@shemaca.org

Diane Aschmann 303-678-1672

PO Box U

Berthoud, CO 80513

web site: www.shemaca.org

- Offers Stanford Achievement Test (April 20-21, 2007)

LearningRx South

719-527-0033

leslie@learningrx.net

Cognitive skills and reading training / One-on-one training / option for parent to be trained to provide training at home / standardized testing for homeschool test requirements

Several trainers have master's degrees in education.

Glenda Childs

303-937-1567

glendachilds@comcast.net

Woodcock JohnsonIII

Homeschooling for 10 years.

BA in elementary Education and MA in Curriculum Instruction.

Elizabeth Ridgway, MS

Northern Colorado

970-532-5653

ridgway_e@hotmail.com

MS, Special Education and Educational Diagnostics, BS in Education, Teaching Certificates in CO, TX, and IL.

Woodcoock Johnson III Test and the Iowa Test of Basic Skills

The Shandy Clinic

719-597-0822

kingston_001@msn.com

Woodcick Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities

Reading, writing and math tutoring, study skills, organization, test taking skills, develop learing plan with parent to maximize child's learning.

Credentials: MLS

HIGH SCHOOL TESTING

High schoolers often take the PSAT, SAT, or ACT in preparation for college admission.

PSAT/SAT

www.collegeboard.com

ACT

www.act.org

Dayspring Christian Schools

Greeley 970-330-1151

SAT, ACT, PSAT, PLAN. AP for Biology, English, History