Legal/Homeschool Laws
Laws that regulate home education vary from state to state. It is important to understand the legal requirements in your state and to be aware of legislative and other legal issues that affect homeschoolers in your community. We've compiled resources that will help you become informed. Although homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, and the vast majority of homeschoolers face no problems, you may find that you need legal assistance at some point in your homeschooling career. We've compiled a list of resources to help you find the support you need. And if you'd like to become more involved in working towards homeschooling freedoms, we discuss some of the issues facing homeschoolers that we hope you find compelling.
State Laws
Read the laws regulating home education in New Mexico and browse through the case law and legal opinions relating to those laws, along with government publications relating to homeschooling and summaries of the laws.
Forms
Which forms do you need to fill out? Where can you get them? Here is a list of useful forms for homeschooling in New Mexico.
Legal Support
If you need legal information or have run into a legal situation regarding your decision to homeschool, these resources will be helpful.
Lobbying Groups
A listing of local and national lobbying groups and information on how you can become involved in the political process to ensure the freedom to homeschool is protected.
Attorneys
When searching for an attorney, it is helpful to know whether he or she has experience working with homeschoolers and is interested in protecting the right to homeschool.
Legal Issues
Is homeschooling legal? Which laws pertain to homeschoolers and which don't? How do homeschoolers protect their rights to freely educate their children and to preserve their privacy?
Government Resources
A listing of local and state government resources, including your state's Department of Education, school districts, and Senate and House of Representative information.
What's Popular
The Importance of Recordkeeping in Colorado: Best Practices for What Records to Keep
Good records equip your student with proof of education for continuing their education, entering the military, or passing an employer’s background check. It may also prove valuable if there are ever any questions about your homeschool.
Colorado Statute 25-4-901
This statute relates to state of Colorado school entry immunization requirements.
Compulsory School Age in Colorado
Colorado law requires that every child who is 6 years old on or before August 1 of the current school year, and under the age of 17, must attend school. If a homeschool is operating under Colorado’s home education statute (Option 1), the parents may wait to begin actual instruction until their child is 7 years old; however, they must still submit a notice of intent beginning with the school year that the child turns 6 by August 1.
New Mexico Public Education Department
The website for the Department of Education in New Mexico.
Northern Colorado Homeschool Association
Northern Colorado Homeschool Association (NCHA) is a non-profit group for homeschooling parents and children of all ages. The majority of our families live along the Northern Colorado Front Range (Fort Collins, Windsor, Loveland Area). We are an inclusive, secular, eclectic, local, member-run organization that honors the diversity of homeschoolers and provides a supportive community for our members.
Colorado Statutes - Complete Text
Online access to complete text of Colorado statutes. Those pertaining to home education include: 22-33-104 (Compulsory school attendance); 22-33-104.5 (Home-based education - legislative declaration - definitions - guidelines); 22-7-409, 1.2-d-III (Assessments); and 22-32-116.5 (Extracurricular and interscholastic activities).
Procedures Manual for Home School Operators in New Mexico (Word Document)
Issued by the New Mexico State Department of Education, this Procedures Manual for Home School Operators in New Mexico is intended to provide parents, legal guardians, and local school district officials direction for implementing the legislation regulating home education. This link goes to a Word file, requiring MS Word to view.
Special Education Provisions for Colorado: Regulations and Resources for Your Special Needs Homeschool
If you are homeschooling a child with special needs, you need to follow your state’s homeschool regulations. There are no additional requirements for homeschooling children with special needs.
Colorado Statute 22-32-116.5
Extracurricular and interscholastic activities. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, each school district and each public school, subject to the requirements of this section, shall allow any student enrolled in a school or participating in a nonpublic home-based educational program to participate on an equal basis in any activity offered by the school district or the public school that is not offered at the student's school of attendance or through the student's nonpublic home-ba...
CAPE Action
CAPE Action monitors federal legislative proposals with the help of the National Center for Home Education. Communication with New Mexico legislators enables them to keep current with state issues. They maintain an e-mail network to “get the word out” quickly when lobbying is necessary. CAPE encourages home school families to be active, involved and praying citizens.
Colorado Statute 25-4-903 - Exemptions from Immunization - Rules
Regulations concerning exemptions from required immunizations in the state of Colorado.
22-12-2. Compulsory school attendance; responsibility.
A. Any qualified student and any person who because of his age is eligible to become a qualified student as defined by the Public School Finance Act [Chapter 22, Article 8 NMSA 1978] until attaining the age of majority shall attend a public school, a private school, a home school or a state institution ...
Guidelines for Combining Instruction at Home and School
Students who are in a registered home school, as provided in Section 22-1-2.1, NMSA, 1978, may also attend public schools if the local school district wishes to provide such an option to home school students. However, in order for home school students to be claimed for state funding purposes by a local school district, state law requires that students be "regularly" enrolled in one-half or more of the minimum course requirements approved by the State Board of Education....&uot; Section 22-8-2.M,...
New Mexico Legislature
Find your legislator, watch current bills, research state statutes, and more.
How to Withdraw Your Child from School in Colorado
If you want to start homeschooling during the school year and your child is currently enrolled in a public or private school, you may formally withdraw your child from that school. If you are going to start homeschooling after the school year is over, and your child is considered enrolled for the following year, we recommend that you withdraw your child before the next school year begins, so that the school does not mark your child as absent or truant.
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Featured Resources
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Rhythms of Learning : What Waldorf Education Offers Children, Parents & Teachers (Vista Series, V. 4) (Vista Series, V. 4)
In numerous lectures and through teaching teachers for the first Waldorf school, Rudolf Steiner described and suggested methods of education based on the rhythmic unfolding of spirit, soul, and physiology in children as they grow. In each section of ...
H. A. Guerber's Histories
Helene A. Guerber wrote histories for grammar school children in the 19th century. Published in 1896 by the American Book Company, ‘Guerber’s Historical Readers in the Eclectic Readings Series’ were used to introduce children to the histories of the ...
Raising Topsy-Turvy Kids: Successfully Parenting Your Visual-Spatial Child
Understanding how children learn best allows you to meet their needs and help them succeed. A visual-spatial learner remembers things in pictures and learns better with visual clues and strategies. This book addresses those needs and helps you figure...
Should I Home School?: How to Decide What's Right for You & Your Child
Have questions about homeschooling? This book has the answers. The information in this book will help you decide if homeschooling is right for you and your child.
Upside-Down Brilliance: The Visual Spatial Learner
Dr. Linda Silverman coined the term "visual-spatial learner" to describe the special and unique gifts of people who learn best through seeing and with images. This guide is a great resource as you support your homeschooling visual learner in discover...