There’s a common misconception that homeschooling happens around a kitchen table. For many Colorado families, that picture is incomplete. 

Homeschooling is a deeply intentional choice, one rooted in knowing a child’s unique needs and wanting to meet them well. But it’s also a balancing act. Parents are not just caregivers; they are teachers, planners, and problem-solvers. That’s where home school enrichment (HSE) programs come in. Not as extras, but as essential partners in a child’s education. 

That’s why a proposed state policy that would limit access to these programs to just a handful of students in two wealthy zip codes is so troubling. 

As someone who leads an HSE program, I see every week how much they matter—not just in theory, but in the lives of real families. 

Take Mindy Ferguson, a mother of four homeschooling children between the ages of 7 and 13. Like many parents, she is managing multiple grade levels and learning styles at once. For her family, an HSE has become part of what makes homeschooling sustainable. Her children have spent time building in Lego-based architecture, experimenting in science, exploring agriculture, and developing their voices through creative writing. Just as importantly, they’ve found a consistent place to build friendships and confidence, something that’s hard to replicate at home. They come home excited, talking about what they built and learned, and eager to go back. 

Or consider Stacey Carbajal, a Pueblo parent with three children ranging from elementary to high school. She describes the reality many homeschool families face: there simply isn’t enough time or expertise to cover everything in depth. Subjects like music, cooking, sewing, or outdoor safety often get squeezed into short lessons, if they happen at all. In an enrichment setting, her children don’t just try these subjects, they dig into them. They stick with them long enough to build confidence and genuine interest, learning from instructors who bring education to life in ways that leave a lasting impression. 

These stories reflect what HSE programs do at their best. They create space for deeper learning, hands-on exploration, and meaningful connection. They give students a chance to collaborate, contribute, and take ownership of their work. And they provide something many homeschool families are quietly searching for: a steady rhythm of support. 

But access to these programs is what makes all the difference. The state legislature is considering the introduction of a bill that would eliminate HSE funding for these programs to all but the handful of students in districts that happen to be BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) member districts – a grand total of two, located in wealthy parts of the state.  

There is no justifiable reason for such an inherently unfair policy. HSE funding does not divert resources from public education – the state, in fact, saves on per-pupil spending for every home-schooled student, on a roughly 2-1 basis. HSE funding represents a tiny investment in the future of a child whose educational needs, for any number of reasons, cannot be met by the public school system. Limiting access to these vital programs to a handful of students who already have outsized access to resources makes no sense, morally or economically.  

Homeschooling comes with real costs. Curriculum, supplies, and materials add up quickly — especially for families with multiple children. Both the Ferguson and Carbajal families point to the same reality: without state funding, programs like these would simply be out of reach. And yet, these families pay into the public education system just like everyone else, often without seeing those resources return to them. 

State-funded enrichment programs help close that gap. They ensure that homeschool students, many of whom chose this path because they needed something different, still have access to high-quality, well-rounded educational opportunities. 

The impact extends beyond the classroom. For parents, even one day of structured programming can create much-needed margin: time to plan, catch up, or reset. For many, that margin is what allows them to continue homeschooling. 

At the end of the day, the value of HSE programs shows up in small but meaningful ways: the project a child is proud of, the skill they didn’t know they had, the friend they can’t wait to see. 

For many, home school enrichment programs aren’t just helpful, they’re essential. If Colorado is serious about supporting diverse paths to education, then it must continue investing in the programs that make those paths possible. Access to quality educational resources shouldn’t be a geographic privilege that depends on your zip code. 

Sheryl Gifford is the chief operations officer of Enrich Colorado. She has been in education for over 22 years as an elementary school teacher, a math and reading interventionist, an assistant principal, and a principal.