Why these Requirements?
First, when dealing with 'requirements' you are dealing with 'obligations' and therefore 'duties' and 'rights'. These are legal terms, and this is precisely why the Church has a legal system, the Code of Canon Law.
Rights and duties in the Church's legal system operate in the reverse of the American legal system. In the American legal system, I have a right, therefore I have a duty: I have a right to bear arms, therefore I have a duty to follow the laws about bearing arms. If a right does not exist, neither do the duties. Rights are primary: how often are lawsuits won where a right was violated therefore the duties associated with it were excused?
In the Church, it is the opposite: I have aduty, therefore I have aright: I have a duty, or 'obligation' to attend Mass, therefore I have the right to attend a Mass that is said correctly. Duty is primary: If a right is violated, the duty still remains.
A parent has an obligation to see that their child is catechized, therefore they have the right to determine the best method for that catechesis. The Church has the obligation to dispense the Sacraments, therefore She has the right to determine the requirements for receiving the Sacraments. The Church also has the obligation to see to it that Sacramental preparation happens, therefore do parents have the right to expect the Church to provide Sacramental preparation. (Now people also have the obligation to receive certain Sacraments, therefore the right to request them, as with communion, and after the initial reception of a sacrament the following requests are acknowledged by the Church in good faith that those requesting are adequately prepared).
In conclusion, we cannot tell a parenthowthey are to catechize their children, but we can tell themwhatmust be accomplished in catechesis, and we must provideanoption. We cannot place restrictions on thehowa parent sees to it that catechesis happens, other than some obvious ways, but we do have the right to determine if a child is in fact prepared.
"Some obvious ways" - It does not make sense for sacramental preparation to happen at one parish so that the reception can happen somewhere else. It does happen, but it is usually not planned that way and the parishes must cooperate carefully when this happens, and it is usually a practical issue like scheduling or perhaps a wedding, not a parent asserting rights.
And we all have obligations to be obedient (therefore a right to lawful, attainable means of obedience, but even if it is difficult it doesn't excuse our obligation). Enter Canon Law to help clarify.
If you want to particulars about Confirmation and/or Parent rights and duties according to Canon Law, it is on the reverse. Otherwise, I hope this explanation was helpful!
Peace and blessings!
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CONFIRMATION
Can. 889
§1. Every baptized person not yet confirmed and only such a person is capable of receiving confirmation.
§2. To receive confirmation licitly outside the danger of death requires that a person who has the use of reasonbe suitably instructed, properly disposed, and able to renew the baptismal promises.
Can. 890 The faithful are obliged to receive this sacrament at the proper time.Parents and pastorsof souls,especially pastors of parishes, are to take care that the faithful areproperly instructedto receive the sacrament and come to it at the appropriate time.
Can. 891 The sacrament of confirmation is to be conferred on the faithful at about the age of discretionunless the conference of bishops has determined another age, or there is danger of death, or in the judgment of the minister a grave cause suggests otherwise.
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PARENTS
Can 226§2. Since they have given life to their children,parents have a most grave obligation and possess the right to educate them. Therefore, it is for Christian parents particularly to take care of the Christian education of their children according to the doctrine handed on by the Church.
Can. 227 The lay Christian faithful have the right to have recognized that freedom which all citizens have in the affairs of the earthly city. When using that same freedom, however, they are to take care that their actions are imbued with the spirit of the gospel and are to heed the doctrine set forth by the magisterium of the Church.In matters of opinion, moreover, they are to avoid setting forth their own opinion as the doctrine of the Church.
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CHRIST THE KING POLICIES
For Confirmation here, the diocese asks that the norm be in high school between 14-16 years(Can 891), that it be part of a 4-year high school curriculum, and that a minimum of 2 years of formal education is completed prior to the reception (889-890 - a collaborative effort but particularly singles out pastors of parishes). At Christ the King it has been determined the best way to see to it that Confirmation be part of that 4 year curriculum is to have those 2 years of formal education actually be in high school.After this point, it is still the Parent’s obligation to see to it that two more years of formal education take place – hopefully at Christ the King!