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Educator Authorization Requirements
Colorado issues 15 authorizations.
General requirements for each are listed below; select the credential type for the application checklist for detailed requirements:
Adjunct (3 years)
- district-specific; and
- bachelor's or higher degree* or five or more year's full-time experience in the content area
- not for Special Education or Special Services areas
Adult Basic Education (5 years)
- associate’s or higher degree;* and
- completion of adult basic education coursework
Career & Technical Education (CTE) (3 or 5 years)
- 39 content areas (each has specific content requirements); and
- 2,000 hours occupational experience in the content area
- initial (3-year) CTE may not be renewed; must be advanced to a 5-year professional authorization
Advance Initial CTE to a Professional CTE
Add a CTE content area to an existing Colorado credential
Educational Interpreter (5 years)
- associate’s or higher degree in educational interpreting;*
- certificate of a passing score on the EIPA written exam;and
- successful performance on the appropriate performance exam (EIPA, Cued Language Transliterator or Oral Transliterator) - individuals who are awaiting exam results or who need to retake the exam may qualify temporarily; see application checklist for more information
Emergency (up to 1 year)
- not for Special Education or Special Services areas (see TEE);
- district-specific;
- bachelor’s or higher degree;* and
- enrollment in an approved program (SLPA included), necessary coursework or required exam in the content area requested
- may be renewed only once
- must first be approved by the State Board - issuance may be delayed once qualification determined due to submission deadlines for agenda items for upcoming board meetings.
Exchange Educator Interim (1 year)
- district-specific;
- participation in a district-recognized exchange educator program; and
- holds/is eligible to hold a license as a teacher, special service provider, principal or administrator in another country
- may be renewed only once
Renew Exchange Educator Interim
JROTC Instructor (5 years)
• JROTC certification
Native American Language & Culture Instructor (5 years)
- district-specific;
- qualify for an adjunct authorization; and
- demonstrate expertise in a Native American language of a federally recognized tribe
- to renew, simply complete the application again
Principal (3 years)
- district-specific
- must be participating in an approved Colorado alternative principal program
- may not be renewed
Advance Principal Authorization to Initial Principal License
Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant (5 years)
- Option 1:
- bachelor’s or higher degree* in communication disorders or SLP OR a bachelor’s degree* in any area and 24 semester hours of SLP coursework; and
- completion of a SLP assistant program, including a 100-contact hour school-based practicum
- Option 2:
- bachelor's or higher degree (in communication disorders or other area); and
- valid ASHA C-SLPA certification
Special Services Intern (1 year)
- district-specific; and
- active enrollment in a special services provider program which requires completion of an internship
- may not be renewed
Substitute Colorado Students Need You!
- 5-Year: a valid or expired Colorado or other-state-issued teacher license
- 3-Year: bachelor’s or higher degree*
- 1-Year: attestation to successful work with children and high school diploma (minimum)
- to renew, simply complete the application again (go the the expired credentials tab in your COOL account, select the "information" link and then the "re-apply" button)
Teacher Apprenticeship (4 years)
- for apprentices participating in a Colorado State Board of Education-approved Teacher Degree Apprenticeship Program only
- required for apprentices to complete Level 3
- maybe obtained as early as Level 1or 2
Temporary Educator Eligibility (TEE) (1 year)
- for Special Education and Special Services areas only;
- district-specific;
- bachelor’s or higher degree* (in any area); and
- enrollment in a traditional preparation program for ECSE, special education generalists, gifted education, director of special education or of gifted education OR a special services area
- may be renewed up to twice with ongoing progress toward meeting full licensure requirements
Interim Authorizations (1 year)
- not for Special Services areas;
- district-specific;
- issued in two different circumstances:
- individuals from outside Colorado who hold/qualify to hold a teacher, principal or administrator license in another state, but who first need to satisfy Colorado’s endorsement requirements (determined upon evaluation of a complete application)
- refer to the Out-of-State page to apply for the appropriate license
- may be renewed once: Renew Interim Authorization
- individuals participating in a Colorado alternative teacher preparation program who do not demonstrate content knowledge at the time of enrollment and application
- refer to the alternative teacher application checklist and Teacher webpage
- may be renewed once to complete a 2-year program via the alternative teacher application checklist
- review the "Alternative Teacher Candidates: What You Need to Know" webpage for additional information
*degrees must be earned at a regionally accredited college or university; degrees earned outside the U.S. must be evaluated for course-by-course equivalency by a NACES member organization.