Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions (PLEASE NOTE: Answers are pre-Covid so may
not reflect current practices.)
Q: What does the state of Colorado require of homeschoolers?
A: http://www.cde.state.co.us/choice/homeschool_law.htm is the link to the Colorado Department of Education website. This is the copy of the actual law. The summary of that law includes, (but is not limited to) a student needs to be schooled from age 7 to age 16. Each school year shall include no less than one hundred seventy-two (172) days of instruction, averaging four instructional contact hours per day. The law includes lots of other information that parents should familiarize themselves with while homeschooling.
Q: Why is the LEAP program only one day per week?
A: This program is to assist and not take the place of homeschooling.
Q: Who teaches the classes, and what are their qualifications?
A: All of our teachers are certified licensed teachers in the state of Colorado and are highly qualified in their subject area under the federal No Child Left Behind guidelines. Best of all – they love teaching, and they love kids. We specifically look for teachers that are passionate, creative, and enthusiastic about teaching their subject area.
Q: Do I still need to submit a letter of intent to my school district?
A: Yes, enrollment in LEAP does not take the place of your letter of intent. We encourage you to continue to maintain your home-schooling presence with your local school district and submit a letter of intent to them. Some parents choose to submit the letter in order to avoid the appearance that the number of homeschoolers is declining.
Q: How do I get curriculum provided by L.E.A.P.?
A: The L.E.A.P. office will be taking orders after your enrollment in the spring. After October 1st, there will be no more orders accepted for the year.
Q: How much does the curriculum cost?
A: Curriculum is checked out at no cost for the year. If curriculum is lost or damaged, payment is required to replace materials.
Q: Do I have to use your curriculum?
A: Yes and no. If you select a class that has a required text, you must use that text for the class. Otherwise, you are free to select any curriculum you would like to use at home. Our curriculum is offered to you as a service to you, and you are in no way obligated to use it.
Q: Do my children have to come all day?
A: Yes. All students must be enrolled for the full day in order to participate in L.E.A.P.
Q: What kind of volunteer opportunities are available?
A: We ask that each family volunteer during the year. We need volunteers so children can be in the safest possible situation. That can’t happen without additional adults on site. Your volunteer hours will mostly be spent supervising lunch and recess, helping out in the classroom when needed, and setting up and tearing down classrooms.
Q: My family travels a lot. Can we still do that if we are part of L.E.A.P.?
A: Yes, you can. We respect your homeschool freedom to schedule your year as you see fit for your family. Please let us know when you are going to be absent and make sure to make arrangements with teachers for any classes you are going to miss so your student doesn’t get behind. A high percentage of absences could cause less class credit to be awarded.
Q: Do I have to keep school records if my student is attending L.E.A.P.?
A: Yes. You are required to keep records of the contact hours (time you spend instructing your student) and days you homeschool your student. You also need to keep records of what curriculum is used for each student for each year. A planning book that helps record the assignments completed each day by your student is the best way to document and track your student’s progress.
Q: Does L.E.A.P. offer testing?
A: Yes, we offer the IOWA tests in the spring. Per the Colorado Homeschool Law, students in odd grades, starting with 3rd grade, may either take a nationally accredited exam (CSAP doesn’t count because it isn’t nationally accredited), be under an umbrella school, or have a certified teacher evaluate your child to determine that they are making sufficient progress. It is the homeschool teacher's responsibility to send the test results to the child's local school district.
Q: Can a student expelled from any other school, public or private, attend the L.E.A.P.program?
A: No expelled student may attend the L.E.A.P. program.
Q: Why do I need to provide a copy of my student’s birth certificate?
A: Our desire is to give proper school credit to the proper student. Many cases have been cited in which a nickname was used in an official school record. Later, as an adult, this has caused difficulties in verifying transcripts belong to the proper student. With a copy of the birth certificate, we are certain to enroll your student with the correct name and hopefully, help avoid any issues in the future.
Q: Can I enroll my student after October 1?
A: The “count” begins to take place on October 1 of each school year and lasts for three weeks. The documentation of the actual attendance of students during this time is what secures the funding used to run the L.E.A.P. program. It is imperative that parents make every effort to have students attend during the “count”. No new students will be enrolled after October 1.
Q: My child has an IEP. Can they obtain services through the L.E.A.P. program?
A: No. Our schools are not funded or staffed to handle students with an IEP (Individualized Education Plan). If your student needs services to accommodate an IEP, the student needs to go to the public school named as their area school based on their residential address.
Q: Can my high school junior or senior attend college classes when enrolled in L.E.A.P.?
A: Yes, they may participate in Concurrent Enrollment through L.E.A.P., Thompson School District, AIMS Community College, and Front Range Community College. See our website under “College Classes”.
Q: Can I register my children for COVA and L.E.A.P.?
A: No, you cannot. You may not be a part of two publicly funded programs. They may however, register for Thompson Online in conjunction with the L.E.A.P. program.
Q: Will there be homework?
A: The model in most L.E.A.P. classes is occasional homework. Please refer to class descriptions for specific information about each class.
Q: Who decides what grade my child is in?
A: You do. Let us know which grade you think is best for your child. It is important to consider your child's social and emotional maturity as well as their cognitive abilities.
Q: What should I send with my child for lunchtime?
A: Students should bring a sack lunch with them. Make sure nothing needs to be refrigerated or reheated. Because of allergies, L.E.A.P. strives to be a nut-free environment. Please do not include food items that contain nuts.
Q: How do you contact me?
A: We primarily contact parents through email. If you do not have an email address, please check the website for updated information.