Licensure
Licensing
An appropriate Colorado license or authorization is required for employment as a teacher, special services provider or principal in a Colorado school or school district.
Types of Colorado teaching and special services licenses:
Initial Teacher License
Issued to first time teachers who have passed a state approved content exam (Praxis) in their content area. This license is issued for three years and is only renewable once.
https://ed.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/checklist-initialteacher
https://ed.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/outofstateteacher
Alternative Teacher License
Issued to an individual who has earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and oftentimes has subject competency for public schools. This individual would participate in an on-the-job, one-year alternative teacher licensure program. This license is valid for one year may be renewed once depending on circumstances.
https://ed.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/alternative-teacher-license-alternative-interim-authorization
D51 has an embedded two-year alternative teacher program supporting a variety of endorsement areas. Find out more information by clicking here:
Interim Teacher Authorization
Issued to an out-of-state candidates who does not have 3 years of full-time out-of-state experience and has not passed the required Colorado content exam. This authorization issued for one year and is only renewable once.
Professional Teaching License
Issued to an initial license holder who has completed a state-approved induction program. It is valid for five years and is renewable through documentation of either six semester hours of credit or 90 clock hours of Professional Development activities or a combination thereof. Professional licenses are also issued to out-of-state educators who can demonstrate three or more years of continuous, successfully evaluated teaching experience.
https://ed.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/checklist-renewprofessionalteacher