Huge homeschool enrichment program closes in Colorado, following stricter rules and demise of authorizer

Colorado's largest publicly funded homeschool enrichment program, Colorado Homeschool Enrichment (CHE), announced Thursday evening that it will cease operations for the upcoming season. The decision follows a tumultuous summer during which its authorizer, Education reEnvisioned Board of Cooperative Educational Services (ERBOCES), dissolved.

CEO Renee Miller stated that there was no path forward for CHE to obtain state approval for its application. The program received around $15 million in state funding over four years to operate dozens of campuses and microcampuses, offering a diverse range of activities such as reading, science lessons, field trips to farms or zoos, skiing, taekwondo, and horseback riding.

However, some campuses provided funding for private school students, which has led lawmakers to tighten regulations on homeschool enrichment programs. To continue operating, CHE would have needed to find a new authorizer and secure state approval. State education officials are currently drafting new rules requiring publicly funded homeschool enrichment programs to be operated by public providers, like school districts or charter schools.

Miller encouraged families to continue taking responsibility for their children's education and emphasized that the decision to revive CHE next year will depend on the new regulations. CHE campuses utilized 430 contractors and operated at approximately 1,300 locations across Colorado, including unconventional destinations like indoor skydiving centers, trampoline parks, and ski resorts.