CDE-approved Alternative Assessment

• District maintains a record of which teachers have met this requirement. 

• District reports this information to the CDE upon request.

Please note: teachers must retain all documentation

Step One: Register for Praxis 5205

• Teacher registers for the ETS Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary 5205 through the ETS website.
  • To learn more about taking the Praxis test online from home, visit the Praxis at-home information webpage.
• Refer to the following resources:
  • Praxis Test Pathway Registration Support Guide (PDF)
  • Detailed Steps to Register for the Praxis 5205 Test (PDF)

    • IMPORTANT: To identify as a teacher fulfilling the Colorado READ Act requirement, candidates must select Colorado READ Act: In-Service (code 7041) as both their attending institution and score recipient when registering for the exam or when requesting an additional score report. 

Step Two: Take the Praxis 5205 exam.

• Teacher completes the Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary (5205) exam.

Step Three: Submit score documentation to COOL

• Teacher submits documentation showing a passing score of 159 or higher on the Praxis 5205 to the Colorado Online Licensing (COOL) system and certifies within the COOL application that they have completed evidence-based training in teaching reading that meets the training requirement as described in the READ Act and Rule.

  • Instructions for submitting documentation to COOL

Step Four: Notify district

• Teacher saves documentation from the CDE that demonstrates the “READ Act designation” attached to their CDE file. 

• Teacher notifies the district that he/she has met this requirement and provides the district with documentation.