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Colorado’s State Board of Education is discussing permanent rules for publicly funded homeschool enrichment programs after the state approved 14 of 54 applicants this summer. Proposed restrictions include barring public funds for certain recreational activities and loaded debit cards for parents; the board plans to vote on final rules later this fall.
Colorado’s State Board of Education is considering permanent rules for publicly funded homeschool enrichment programs, following a summer review in which officials approved 14 of 54 applicants. The proposed restrictions would limit how programs spend public money, including prohibiting funding for some recreational activities and preventing programs from giving parents loaded debit cards.
The nine-member board is scheduled to discuss two rule proposals on Thursday. The proposed rules would bar funding for ski lessons, private piano lessons and lacrosse club fees, and limit the number of fee-based field trips programs may offer each semester. The restrictions follow concerns about programs centered largely on outings to places such as escape rooms, bowling alleys and Topgolf.
The proposals also would prohibit programs from giving parents loaded debit cards to make purchases. The report says the measures address loopholes that allowed private enrichment providers to use public funding for activities or arrangements officials viewed as outside the programs’ intended purpose. The board is expected to vote on a final version later this fall; the proposals have not yet been adopted as permanent rules.
Colorado approved 14 of 54 homeschool enrichment programs that sought approval over the summer, according to the report. That review followed temporary rules that created a more elaborate application process, particularly for programs operating outside the boundaries of the school district that authorized them. The state has also received dozens of written comments on the proposed permanent rules and is continuing to accept them before the final vote.
Limits on Publicly Funded Enrichment
The rules could change which activities families can access through programs supported with taxpayer funds, and how independent providers organize their offerings. Supporters of continued access say enrichment classes can offer homeschooled students instruction and social opportunities that parents may not be able to provide themselves. Tighter limits, by contrast, could reduce the range of classes and outings available through those programs.
The issue also involves competing demands on public education budgets. The report says homeschool enrichment cost Colorado nearly $100 million last year. Critics argue that spending should be constrained while public schools are making cuts and laying off teachers. The final rules will help define the boundary between publicly supported educational services and activities officials consider inappropriate uses of public money.
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How Oversight Expanded in Colorado
Homeschool enrichment programs have operated in Colorado for years, usually offering one day of tuition-free classes each week. They are intended to give homeschooled students opportunities for socialization or access to subjects that can be difficult to teach at home. Their numbers grew substantially after the pandemic, according to the report, with growth fueled in part by a public education co-op in Monument that has since closed.
For years, some programs operated under relatively light state regulation. Public funds were used for activities at ski resorts, trampoline parks, skydiving centers and climbing gyms, the report says. In May, state lawmakers tightened oversight after concerns that the arrangements had expanded too far. The summer approval process was an early step in that effort; the permanent rules now under consideration would set ongoing requirements.
The report says final figures on the number of programs and students are not yet available. It expects Colorado may now have fewer publicly funded programs and lower enrollment than in prior years, partly because the temporary application process affected programs operating beyond their authorizing district’s boundaries.
“My child is learning airplane, motorcycle, and bicycle mechanics, and blacksmithing. There is no WAY I could provide the education myself!”
— Melissa Hosie, a Jefferson County parent
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Final Rules and Program Impact
The board has not yet selected or adopted a final set of permanent rules. The report describes two proposals but does not specify which option the board is more likely to approve or whether members may revise the language before the vote. The rules’ final scope will determine which expenses and field trips remain eligible for public funding.
It is also unclear how many programs and students will be affected. State tallies are not final, and the available report does not provide a complete enrollment count or a breakdown of the 54 applicants by program type. Parents and other members of the public can still submit written comments before the board’s vote.
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Board Vote Expected This Fall
The State Board of Education is scheduled to discuss the proposed rules on Thursday and is expected to vote on a final version later this fall. The board is continuing to collect public comments in the meantime. Once the final text is approved, it will establish the ongoing requirements for publicly funded homeschool enrichment programs; the report does not give a specific vote date or describe an implementation schedule.
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Key Questions
What is Colorado considering?
The State Board of Education is weighing permanent rules governing publicly funded homeschool enrichment programs, including limits on eligible spending, field trips and debit cards for parents.
How many programs received approval this summer?
Officials approved 14 of 54 applicants over the summer, according to the report. The final number of operating programs and enrolled students has not been reported.
What expenses could the proposals prohibit?
The proposals would bar public funding for activities including ski lessons, private piano lessons and lacrosse club fees. They would also prohibit loaded debit cards for parents and limit fee-based field trips each semester.
When will the rules become final?
The board is scheduled to discuss the proposals on Thursday and is expected to vote on a final version later this fall. A specific vote date was not included in the report.
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