Welcome to Educator Licensing

Fingerprints:

Background checks/fingerprints

See also: SSN verification

Checklists:

Application checklists

Application checklists outline everything you will need in order to submit a complete application.

See also: Name change

Professional Learning Requirements:

Educator Effectiveness Evaluator Training (E-Train)

• Required for: all principal and administrator credentials
• Effective: Aug. 1, 2024

English Learner Professional Development requirements

• Required for: renewal of all professional teacher licenses with an elementary, English, math, science, social studies or any middle level endorsement
• Effective: Sept. 1, 2025

READ Act -Teacher requirements

• Required for: all teachers teaching reading K-3 and all interventionists (grades 4-12)
• Deadline: Aug. 1 of each year

READ Act - Principal/Administrator requirements

• Required for: all principals and administrators
• Deadline: Aug. 1, 2024 and every Aug. 1 thereafter

Special Education/Behavior Health Professional Development requirements

• Required for: renewal of all professional teacher, special services, principal and administrator licenses
• Effective: June 30, 2025

Application Status:

Check your application status

• Teacher
• Special Services
• Principal
• Administrator

Register for Praxis Exams

Find an approved Colorado preparation program (search engine)

The Educator Preparation Office oversees program approval and re-authorization for institutions of higher education, and includes initial approval and re-authorization not more than once every five years. Initial approval and re-authorization are required for any institution (public or private) offering educator preparation programs leading to licensure or endorsement in Colorado.

Alternative Teacher Candidates: What You Need to Know

Alternative Principal Preparation: What You Need to Know

Designated agencies for alternative educator preparation must also meet standards defined in statute, rules and policy, including initial authorization and re-authorization not more than once every five years. 

• Look-up a Colorado educator's license/authorization
• Licensure verification requests

• Accessing & navigating the COOL system
• District Mandatory Reporting Requirements

  • Overview of Denial, Suspension, Revocation or Annulment of Licenses

• Educator Effectiveness (EE) 
  • EE resources
  • Contact your regional EE representative
• Educator Recruitment & Retention (ERR)
  • Contact your regional ERR representative
• General professional development requirements
  • Induction supports

• Model Code of Ethics

  • Presented by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) and developed by educators for educators, the Model Code of Ethics (MCEE) is a common sense approach regarding professional practice and is ideal for in-service training or PLCs.
  • MCEE video features the educators who helped develop it and speaks its importance and application in the classroom.
  • DisruptEd is a two-part video conversation with Troy Hutchings and Phil Rogers about the Code of Ethics (Part 1 and Part 2).
  • Contact NASDTEC at support@nasdtec.org with questions or comments.
• ​​​Oath Requirement
• Resources for principals