Colorado Officials Ordered Audits of Homeschool Cooperative
State and district leaders finalized agreements to probe the financial records of ERBOCES and its partner enrichment program.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Homeschooling
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Colorado state officials and School District 49 have authorized specialized audits into ERBOCES and Colorado Homeschool Enrichment. These investigations follow concerns regarding the use of millions in public funds by the entities over the previous two school years.
Why it matters
The audits address significant state oversight concerns regarding the management of public tax dollars by private-public education partnerships. The investigation seeks to clarify financial practices after rapid growth in state-funded enrichment enrollment.
Colorado Homeschool Enrichment served 2,800 students using 430 contractors during the 2025-2026 school year. ERBOCES, which operated for 13 years, previously offered $100,000 to recruit new districts and loaned $3 million to a Woodland Park charter school.
The players
ERBOCES
This educational cooperative operated for 13 years and is now undergoing dissolution following concerns about its financial management.
Colorado Homeschool Enrichment
This program served nearly 2,800 students during the 2025-2026 school year and is now the subject of a state-mandated forensic audit.
School District 49
This Colorado school district took the lead in voting to dissolve the cooperative and finalizing the audit agreement.
Colorado Department of Education
This state agency is a primary party to the agreement to dissolve the cooperative and investigate the expenditure of state funds.
Hoelting & Company
This accounting firm is identified as the potential lead for conducting the financial audit of the dissolved cooperative.
The details
The agreement mandates a forensic audit of Colorado Homeschool Enrichment funding from the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years, while a separate audit will assess the remaining assets of ERBOCES. The cooperative, based in Monument, will no longer operate for the 2026-2027 school year following the dissolution vote by School District 49.
Timeline
ERBOCES operated for 13 years prior to its dissolution.
Colorado Homeschool Enrichment received and utilized state funding during the 2024-2026 period.
School District 49 voted to dissolve ERBOCES in August 2026.
The audit agreement was finalized on September 21, 2026.
Culture Shift
The audits reflect a broader push for increased accountability in public-private partnerships within the alternative education sector. These investigations mark a departure from previous oversight models as states tighten controls on how tax dollars are distributed to enrichment entities.
Families previously enrolled in the enrichment program will need to identify alternative educational arrangements for the 2026-2027 school year. The audit process will determine whether the cooperative's dissolution will impact future funding availability for similar programs in the state.
The takeaway
Transparency is becoming a priority for state-funded educational cooperatives that manage public funds. Families should verify the financial status and accreditation of enrichment providers to ensure long-term stability for their students.
Further reading
For more on the regulatory environment governing local programs, visit our Homeschooling section.
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