Policies

On your application, the student’s grade will be automatically calculated by their birthdate.

We realize that might not be the same level at which your student is working, so parents are encouraged to modify grades if needed. If you choose to modify your student’s grade, please consider these things:

• the reading level of the student
• the grade at which most of the subjects are being learned

If you would like to change your student’s grade level during the school year (after your initial application), you may fill out the Update Student Information form here and submit it to the CHEC Independent School.

Modifying to a grade level below the calculated age grade?

We require documentation explaining the reason why the student’s grade is modified below their calculated age/grade. This documentation will give added credibility to your family file, and, in the event that your homeschool is ever called into question by authorities, the documentation will provide extra proof of your student’s struggles and what is being done to address them. This documented statement must be submitted when you apply.

Required documentation depends on the number of grades you are modifying:

• Modifying 1–2 grades below (e.g. 4th grade down to 3rd or 2nd grade): Documentation must include a thorough explanation written by the parent.

• Modifying 3 or more grades below (e.g. 4th grade down to 1st grade or below): In this case, more substantial documentation will be necessary, including a statement from a specialist explaining the cause of the student’s academic struggles. This specialist would need to be well acquainted with your student’s case and/or be the provider of any additional tutoring or therapy your student may be receiving. (The statement from the specialist should include the name and birth date of the student, the grade at which the student is functioning, the reasons for them progressing behind their age grade, and the name and qualifications of the specialist.) (For ideas on what specialist would be appropriate in your child’s case, contact us.)

Please note: Modified grade level enrollments received without the appropriate documentation mentioned above will not be processed until that information is received.

When you enroll with the CHEC Independent School, you agree to fulfill the following requirements. (This is a quick summary. Scroll and click each area for complete details.)

1. Submit an application and pay the enrollment fee for the school year in which you wish to enroll prior to beginning to provide private education at home. (Enrollment for the August–July school year is typically open from mid - to late June through April.)
2. Submit assessment results in all odd calendar years (due August 31st) for students once they reach 3rd grade through 12th grade. Also required if a grade has been modified UP to 3rd grade OR if modified DOWN but student’s age is at 3rd grade level within our age-grade parameters:

1. Provide academic instruction to their student(s) for 172 calendar days between August 1st to July 31st.
2. Submit our attendance record by August 31st (available here) demonstrating at least 172 calendar days for each student.
3. Fulfill these subject requirements including, but not limited to:
   • Communication skills (reading, writing, and speaking)
   • Mathematics
   • History
   • Civics
   • Literature
   • Science
   • US Constitution beginning in 7th grade and continuing through high school
   • Honor/use of the flag (Order a Flag Etiquette workbook online here.)
   • (Purchase our Christian curriculum HERE!)
4. Personally maintain detailed written records of attendance and course of study throughout the year. Attendance records must be submitted to the CHEC Independent School. Course of study records do not need to be submitted, but must be accessible in the event of a legal dispute.

The CHEC Independent School year runs from August 1st through July 31st. Enrollment for the school year is typically open from mid - late June through April 30th.

You can begin your application online here by creating an account or logging in.

Things to note:

• Enrollments are good from the date noted on the enrollment confirmation letter through July 31st. (Note: enrollment dates can’t be backdated to a day prior to the date payment was made on the application, or, for previously enrolled families, prior to end-of-year records being submitted, reviewed, and accepted, or prior to the beginning of our school year on August 1st.)
• Enrollment is subject to application approval. Your application must include contact and student information as well as payment.
• Application fees are per family, not per student. Enroll online by August 31st and save $10.
  

If your family does not have a U.S. residence, and the country you reside in allows enrollment in a Colorado/U.S. based private school as an exemption from compulsory public school attendance, you will find our international application here. (Families living on a U.S. military base follow U.S. laws.)

The CHEC Independent School requires a parent, legal guardian, or adult relative to control, direct, and actively be involved in the student's education. After being reviewed by our Director, an exception may be made for special cases. However, in these situations, an annual (rather than biennial) assessment will be required and the CHEC Parent Evaluation will not be accepted.

Because of Colorado’s compulsory attendance law, students who are taught privately at home through an independent school must have an enrollment in place the year they turn 6 by August 1st, through age 17.

Families enrolled in the CHEC Independent School are required to:

• Provide academic instruction to their student(s) for 172 calendar days between August 1st and July 31st. (Your school year and grade level do not have to correspond with those dates, but you must provide 172 calendar days of instruction within those dates.)
• Maintain a regular record of attendance throughout the year.
• Submit an attendance record for each student on the CHEC Independent School Attendance Record (available here). The completed record should demonstrate at least 172 calendar days by July 31 (the end of the school year), and must be submitted by August 31.
• If you are transferring to the CHEC Independent School mid-way through the school year, you may count the days attended at your previous school or homeschool.
• The attendance form must be a record of completed school days only (do not include hours or future planned days).
• If you withdraw from the CHEC Independent School mid-way through the school year due to a move or transfer to another school, you must inform the CHEC Independent School immediately by filling out the Update Student Information form (found here), and submit a record of the days completed in the CHEC Independent School from August 1st up to the date of the move/transfer.

You must use the CHEC Independent School Attendance Record, available here.

The CHEC Independent School accepts results from these three assessment options:

• Approved nationally standardized achievement tests (a composite score of 14% or higher is required)
• Professional evaluations
• Parent evaluations

Learn more about assessments and requirements here.

Every student whose date of birth places them in 3rd–12th grade (according to the CHEC Independent School age/grade parameters), or has been modified up to 3rd grade or above, or is a super senior, is required to submit results from an approved assessment at the close of school years ending in an odd calendar year (e.g. 2022/2023, 2024/2025). Results must be submitted by uploading them to your online account no later than August 31st.

The assessment must be taken no earlier than halfway through the grade in which they are being taught and if using a Standardized Achievement Test, must be spring normed.

See the assessment policies page for more information on additional requirements for the following scenarios:

• Student whose education is not controlled, directed, and actively involved in by a parent, guardian, or adult relative.
• Student is in a modified grade level (different than the grade based on age according to the CHEC Independent School grade calculator/chart).

As an independent school, our subject requirements are governed by the Non-Public School Law:

• 22-33-104 (2) (b) C.R.S. requires that a sequential program of instruction be provided by an independent or parochial school. Such program shall include, but not be limited to, communication skills of reading, writing, and speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature, and science.
• 22-1-106 C.R.S. requires information concerning the honor and use of the flag to be taught. (Check out the Flag Etiquette workbook available from CHEC.)
• 22-1-108 and 22-1-109 C.R.S. requires the United States Constitution to be studied. Instruction shall begin no later than the seventh grade and continue in high school.

Because you are overseeing your child’s education, you set the requirements. Once your student has met your set requirements, you graduate them. This means you sign the diploma—but don’t panic! It’s no different than a private school issuing and signing a diploma. (You can order a diploma from our parent ministry, CHEC, here.)

Check out high school support on CHEC's website for more information.

Although not clearly spelled out in the Non-Public School Law, the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) has stated that private schoolers may participate in public high school sports programs at their school of residence OR at the school designated by the district where the private school is located (Douglas County RE-I for the CHEC Independent School). Please be aware that public schools can charge up to 150% of any activity fees that apply. Beyond high school sports, families enrolled in the CHEC Independent School may contact their school of residence and ask them how private schoolers can participate in extracurricular or interscholastic activities. We will do our best to support you in providing verification of enrollment, etc. You can find the current version of the CHSAA handbook here.

(Please note that some school districts may not allow private school students to participate in any of these activities, and the law does not require them to.)

CHEC Independent School students may participate on a part-time basis in public and private school programs (including public-school-at-home programs) at the discretion of said public or private school, as long as the parent(s) still control, direct, and are actively involved in the child(ren)'s education. (For more information, see CHEC’s position statement on home education.)

Be aware that some part-time public school programs may require parents to file a Notice of Intent to Homeschool (NOI) in order to participate in their program. If you file an NOI, you become subject to the requirements of the Home-Based Education Law (learn more about those requirements here), in addition to the requirements of the CHEC Independent School. Filing an NOI will not excuse you from fulfilling the requirements of the CHEC Independent School, nor will our requirements excuse you from fulfilling those of the Home-Based Education Law. The CHEC Independent School strongly suggests that you weigh your options carefully. 

The CHEC Independent School accepts students with truancy charges on a case-by-case basis.

Upon withdrawal of enrollment, students must submit an attendance record listing the number of days schooled with the CHEC Independent School. Assessment results are required for students in 3rd–12th grade who were enrolled past April 1st in an odd calendar year. These records must be submitted through your online account by the August 31st deadline.

Failure to submit these records will nullify your entire school year and you will be disenrolled.

Complete this form to withdraw enrollment.