Colorado considers strict new rules for publicly funded homeschool enrichment

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Over the summer, state officials said yes to only 14 of 54 homeschool enrichment programs that applied for approval. It was the first step in a broader effort to increase oversight of a controversial slice of the public education system that has seen massive growth in recent years.

On Thursday, the nine-member State Board of Education will take another step in the process, discussing permanent rules that will govern publicly funded programs for homeschoolers going forward. Two proposals under consideration, though filled with technical definitions and legalese, highlight some of the gaping loopholes that private enrichment providers used in recent years to offer unusual or pricey activities to homeschoolers, or money to their parents, using taxpayer dollars.

The proposed rules ban funding for things like ski lessons, private piano lessons, and lacrosse club fees, and bar homeschool programs from giving parents loaded debit cards for purchases. The rules also limit the number of fee-based field trips each semester — a reaction to enrichment programs that consisted mostly of field trips, including to escape rooms, bowling alleys, and Topgolf.

For years, Colorado regulated certain programs for homeschoolers so lightly that trips to ski resorts, trampoline parks, skydiving centers, and climbing gyms were paid for on the public dime. That changed in May when lawmakers cracked down, angry that it had spun out of control. Last year, homeschool enrichment cost the state nearly $100 million.

The State Board will vote on a final version of homeschool enrichment rules later this fall.

Homeschool enrichment programs have been around for many years, but their numbers grew dramatically after the pandemic, fueled by a now-defunct public education co-op in Monument. Such programs typically offer one day of tuition-free classes a week and are meant to give homeschooled students socialization opportunities or access to courses that are hard to provide at home.

Final tallies aren’t in, but it’s likely Colorado now has fewer publicly funded homeschool enrichment programs and lower enrollment in those programs than in years past. That’s partly because this summer’s temporary rules created an elaborate application process for the kind of programs that were multiplying the fastest: the ones operating outside the boundaries of the district where they’re authorized.

In the past few years, the now-closed Monument co-op approved dozens of these programs, which provided many of the most questionable activities and operated with little public transparency.

Many out-of-boundary programs sought state approval through the new application process, but some sought approval from local school districts or charter schools, which is permitted. The state is still tallying the number of programs that did that, a department spokesperson said.

The State Board will consider two versions of homeschool enrichment rules on Thursday morning. They are similar to proposals first presented in September, with some changes.

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 allowed now.
• 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 websites. Classes offered by the private group would also have to be available to full-time public school students.
• Bar public funding for concurrent enrollment courses, independent study, off-site work-based learning, or supplemental online enrollment offered through the part-time homeschool programs. This is a change from the September version.

Option B would:

• Allow both public entities and private groups — but only nonprofit groups — to operate homeschool enrichment programs.
• Allow private groups to offer homeschool enrichment classes in most subjects, including dance, visual arts, and theater. The September version barred art, music, and physical education offerings. Only physical education is still barred. This restriction would not apply to public schools that operate homeschool enrichment programming.
• Bar private groups from subcontracting out the homeschool program to other private groups.

Both options have a new provision that would prohibit more than two field trips or field experiences per semester if they cost money to provide. Both would also bar part-time programs for homeschoolers from offering more than 16 hours a week of classes. Currently, most publicly funded enrichment programs offer about six hours of class a week, but some operate with the same schedules as full-time schools.

Also on Thursday, State Board members will discuss a separate set of rules that could cut the per-hour homeschool enrichment rate.

Currently, programs get $6,000 per student per year on average for providing 90 hours of class a semester — that’s twice the hourly rate for public schools. Under the proposed rules, homeschool enrichment programs would get about $3,000 a year for 90 hours of class a semester and $6,000 for 180 hours of class.

The state has collected dozens of written comments about the proposed rules so far, and will continue to do so until the State Board’s final vote. A number of homeschool parents have urged the State Board to adopt Option B, which would allow private groups to continue offering homeschool enrichment.

One Jefferson County mother, Melissa Hosie, said, “My child is learning airplane, motorcycle, and bicycle mechanics, and blacksmithing. There is no WAY I could provide the education myself!”

She gave a nod to state officials’ concerns that some questionable programs got public funding in the past — she mentioned martial arts — saying, “If someone is abusing, you don’t stop everyone, you just stop the abuser.”

Jill Duvall, a retired teacher from the Elizabeth district, argued for tight guardrails, noting that public schools are laying off teachers and making cuts even as millions have been spent on specialized homeschool enrichment programs that public school students couldn’t access.

“The amount of taxpayers’ dollars expended on these (homeschool enrichment programs) needs to stop,” she said. “Enough is enough!”

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.