Homeschool benefits and savings in Jefferson County
JeffCo Kids First gave $1,000 scholarships to 10 graduating Jefferson County high school seniors in its 2026 cycle, and homeschool students were welcome alongside public, private, and charter students. The 2026 deadline was April 5, 2026, and the group has not posted a 2027 application yet.
Who qualifies
Graduating Jefferson County senior
Your student must be a graduating Jefferson County, Colorado high school senior. Homeschool students are named as welcome.
Going on to more education
Your student must be headed to a university, community college, trade school, or other higher education.
Writes the essay
The 2026 essay, 750 words or fewer, asked about a classroom experience that moved the student from absorbing information to forming their own conclusions, and the teacher's approach to neutrality.
Has two recommendation letters
Both letters come from non-relatives and speak to your student's character, integrity, and unique qualities.
What it is worth
The terms come from JeffCo Kids First's 2026 scholarship application page.
- Award per student
- $1,000
- Awards in 2026
- 10
- Essay length
- 750 words or fewer
- Recommendation letters
- 2, from non-relatives
- GPA requirement
- None
- Finalists notified
- Within 4 weeks
The page does not say how or when the $1,000 is paid, so ask whether it goes to your student or the school.
From applying to keeping it
- Senior year
Watch for the application
JeffCo Kids First posts each year's application on its scholarships page. The 2027 cycle is not posted yet.
- Before the deadline
Gather the letters
Ask two non-relatives for recommendation letters and draft the essay.
- By the deadline
Send one PDF
Send one PDF named with your student's full name, holding the essay and both letters. The 2026 deadline was April 5.
- Within 4 weeks
Hear about finalists
JeffCo Kids First notifies finalists within four weeks of the deadline.
What it pays for
Covered
- University
- Community college
- Trade school
JeffCo Kids First, a local group based in Arvada, funds the award, not Jefferson County government, and sets the number of awards each year.
Who to contact
JeffCo Kids First runs the scholarship and takes questions by email or by mail at PO Box 741122, Arvada, CO 80006.
jeffcokidsfirst@gmail.com Scholarship page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Colorado
Give written notice to a Colorado school district 14 days before starting and each year the program continues. Notice is not required before age 6; instruction need not begin until age 7 or continue after age 16.
Colorado sets these rules:
- Subjects: Provide at least 172 days of instruction averaging four instructional contact hours daily, covering reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature, science, and regular instruction in the U.S. Constitution.
- Testing: Academic evaluation in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11: standardized test or evaluation by a qualified person.
- Records: Permanently keep attendance, test or evaluation results, and required immunization records; produce them on 14 days’ written notice when the superintendent has probable cause to believe the program is noncompliant.
- Teachers: Instruction is provided by a parent or legal guardian, or an adult relative designated by the parent; no teaching license is required.
Read the Colorado homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Colorado
Questions parents ask
- How is the JeffCo Kids First award paid?
- The group does not say, so ask whether the $1,000 goes to your student or the school.
- Does it count for trade school?
- Yes. University, community college, and trade school all qualify.
- What goes at the top of the essay?
- Your student's full name, high school name, email, and phone, plus one sentence under a heading stating their higher education plans. Leave out teacher names.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Each grant limits the expenses it covers. Where curriculum is eligible, it can pay for the teaching and feedback your child receives in our courses.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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