2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 22 - EDUCATION (§§ 22-1-101 — 22-108-109) › TEACHERS (§§ 22-60-101 — 22-69-106) › Article 60.5 - COLORADO EDUCATOR LICENSING ACT (§§ 22-60.5-101 — 22-60.5-404) › Part 2 - TEACHERS AND SPECIAL SERVICES PROVIDERS (§§ 22-60.5-201 — 22-60.5-218) › Section 22-60.5-201 - Types of teacher licenses issued - term - rules

(1)
The department is designated as the sole agency authorized to issue the following teacher licenses to persons of good moral character:
(a)
Alternative teacher license.
(I)
The department may, at its discretion, issue an alternative teacher license to any applicant who:
(A)
Holds an earned baccalaureate degree from a fully accredited institution of higher education;
(B)
(Deleted by amendment, L. 2004, p. 1279, § 3, effective May 28, 2004.)
(C)
Has been recommended by an accepted institution of higher education as holding a baccalaureate degree and has demonstrated to the state board of education, in a manner prescribed by rule of the board pursuant to section
22-60.5-203 (6)
, the subject matter knowledge necessary for teaching in the appropriate endorsement areas.
(D)
Agrees to participate fully in a one-year or two-year alternative teacher program provided by a designated agency, which may include working as an alternative teacher in a licensed nonpublic child care facility or other preschool facility. The state board of education is authorized to promulgate rules as necessary to implement this subsection (1)(a)(I)(D).
(II)
(Deleted by amendment, L. 2009, (SB 09-160), ch. 1449, p. 1449, § 4, effective May 21, 2009.)
(III)
Holders of alternative teacher licenses shall not be used to replace regularly licensed teachers in any action resulting from a contract dispute.
(IV)
An alternative teacher license is valid in any school district, charter school, or nonpublic school and entitles the holder to work exclusively as an alternative teacher pursuant to the terms of an alternative teacher contract. A holder of an alternative teacher license is the teacher of record.
(V)
For applicants enrolled in a one-year alternative teacher program, the alternative teacher license issued pursuant to this subsection (1)(a) is valid for a period of one year after the date of issuance and may be renewed for only one additional year, but only upon written evidence that the employing school district, board of cooperative services, charter school, or nonpublic school anticipates extending the alternative teacher's contract for one additional year pursuant to section
22-60.5-207 (2)
. For applicants enrolled in a two-year alternative teacher program, the alternative teacher license issued pursuant to this subsection (1)(a) is valid for a period of two years after the date of issuance.
(a.5)
Teacher of record license.
(I)
The department shall issue a teacher of record license to an applicant who:
(A)
Is enrolled in an accepted institution of higher education and has successfully completed all, or substantially all, of the course work requirements for completion of a bachelor's degree but has not yet completed teaching field work requirements;
(B)
Is enrolled in a one- or two-year teacher of record program pursuant to section
22-60.5-208.7
; and
(C)
The applicant is or will be employed in a position for which no other qualified, licensed teacher has applied by a local education provider, as defined in section
22-60.5-208.7 (1)
, that determines that there is a critical teacher shortage.
(II)
A teacher of record license is valid for two years after the date of issuance and can only be renewed one time if the holder did not complete a bachelor's degree due to unforeseen circumstances or hardship.
(III)
The state board of education shall establish the competencies and standards necessary for a teacher of record to be employed by a school district or public school.
(b)
Initial teacher license.
(I)
Except as otherwise provided in subsection (1)(b)(II) of this section, the department, in its discretion, may issue an initial teacher license to any applicant who:
(A)
Holds an earned baccalaureate degree from an accepted institution of higher education;
(B)
Has completed an approved program of preparation for teachers or a one-year or two-year alternative teacher program;
(C)
Has demonstrated professional competencies in subject areas as specified by rule of the state board of education pursuant to section
22-60.5-203
.
(II)
The department of education, in its discretion, may issue an initial or a professional teacher license to any applicant who:
(A)
Holds a valid initial or professional principal license or a valid initial or professional administrator license;
(B)
Has previously held an initial teacher license.
(II.5)
(Deleted by amendment, L. 2009, (SB 09-160), ch. 1449, p. 1449, § 4, effective May 21, 2009.)
(III)
(A)
An initial teacher license is valid in any school districts or nonpublic schools that provide, or charter schools that provide or participate in, an approved induction program for teachers or have obtained a waiver of the approved induction program requirement pursuant to section
22-60.5-114 (2)
. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (1)(b)(III)(B) of this section, any initial license issued pursuant to this subsection (1)(b) is valid for a period of three years after the date of issuance and is renewable only once for an additional period of three years.
(B)
If an initial teacher licensee is unable to complete an induction program for reasons other than incompetence, the state board of education may renew the licensee's initial teacher license for one or more additional three-year periods upon the initial licensee's showing of good cause for inability to complete an induction program.
(c)
Professional teacher license.
(I)
Except as otherwise provided in subsections (1)(c)(II), (1)(c)(II.5), and (1)(c)(II.7) of this section, the department of education may, in its discretion, issue a professional teacher license to any applicant who:
(A)
Holds a valid initial teacher license;
(B)
Has completed an approved induction program and has been recommended for licensure by the school districts, charter school, the institute, or nonpublic school that provided such induction program; except that the applicant need not complete an approved induction program as an initial teacher licensee if the applicant previously completed an induction program while teaching under an adjunct instructor authorization, an emergency authorization, or an interim authorization or if the school district or charter school in which the applicant is employed has obtained a waiver of the induction program requirement pursuant to section
22-60.5-114 (2)
. If the applicant is employed by a school district, charter school, or nonpublic school that has obtained a waiver of the induction program requirement, the applicant shall demonstrate completion of any requirements specified in the school district's, charter school's, or nonpublic school's plan for support, assistance, and training of initially licensed educators.
(C)
Has demonstrated professional competencies in subject areas as specified by rule and regulation of the state board of education pursuant to section
22-60.5-203
if the applicant received an initial teacher license without demonstrating professional competencies pursuant to sub-subparagraph (C) of subparagraph (I) of paragraph (b) of this subsection (1).
(II)
The department may, in its discretion, issue a professional teacher license to any applicant who:
(A)
Holds a valid initial or professional principal license or a valid initial or professional administrator license;
(B)
Has previously held a professional teacher license issued pursuant to this article 60.5 or an equivalent certificate that was issued pursuant to article
60
of this title 22 prior to July 1, 1994; or
(C)
Holds a certificate of apprenticeship completion from an approved teacher degree apprenticeship program pursuant to section
22-60.5-111
.
(II.5)
The department of education may issue a professional teacher license to any applicant who meets or exceeds the requirements specified in paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of this section.
(II.7)
The department of education may issue a professional teacher license to an applicant who meets the requirements specified in section
22-60.5-111 (4)(c)(II) or (5)(e)(II)
.
(III)
(A)
Except as otherwise provided in subsection (1)(c)(III)(B) of this section, any professional teacher license issued pursuant to this subsection (1)(c)(III)(A) is valid for a period of seven years after the date of issuance and is renewable at its expiration pursuant to section
22-60.5-110
. If, as of September 7, 2021, an individual has partially completed the individual's five-year professional teacher licensing period, the licensing period for that individual is extended to a seven-year period. The years that the individual already completed toward the five-year professional teacher licensing period will count toward the individual's new seven-year professional teacher licensing period.
(B)
Any professional teacher license issued pursuant to this paragraph (c) which is held in conjunction with a master certificate pursuant to section
22-60.5-202
shall be valid for a period of seven years after the date of issuance and is renewable as provided in section
22-60.5-110
.
(2)
The state board of education is authorized to establish, by rule and regulation, such other requirements for licenses specified in subsection (1) of this section as it deems necessary to maintain and improve the quality of education instructional programs in the public schools of this state; except that the state board of education may not require any person who applies for a professional teacher license either while holding a valid initial teacher license or upon expiration of an initial teacher license to demonstrate professional competencies if said person demonstrated professional competencies prior to obtaining the initial teacher license.
(3)
(a)
The department of education may, at its discretion, issue an initial teacher license provided for in paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section to any applicant from another state or country whose qualifications meet or exceed the standards of the state board of education for the issuance of an initial teacher license.
(b)
(I)
The department of education may issue a professional teacher license to any applicant from another state if:
(A)
The applicant holds a license or certificate from that state that is comparable to a teacher license in this state and the standards for the issuance of such license or certificate meet or exceed the standards of the state board of education for the issuance of a professional teacher license; and
(B)
The applicant has had at least three years of successful, evaluated experience within the previous seven years as a teacher in an established elementary or secondary school and can provide documentation of such experience on forms provided by the department.
(II)
An applicant for a professional teacher license pursuant to this paragraph (b) need not have:
(A)
Completed an approved induction program for teachers;
(B)
Held an initial teacher license pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section; or
(C)
Demonstrated professional competencies in subject areas as specified by rule of the state board of education pursuant to section
22-60.5-203
.
(III)
Repealed.
(c)
In an area deemed by the state board of education to be a shortage area, the state board of education shall establish reasonable criteria, including the recognition of experience as a licensed or certificated teacher, for the issuance of an initial teacher license to any applicant from another state or country.
(d)
An applicant for an initial teacher license who has three years or more of teaching experience in another state or country for which the department of education has granted reciprocity pursuant to this subsection (3) shall be licensed without having to demonstrate professional competencies pursuant to section
22-60.5-203
if such person meets all the other qualifications for an initial teacher license or professional teacher license and if such person is qualified to teach in that state or country.
(3.5)
The department of education may, at its discretion, issue a professional license provided for in paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this section to any applicant who is certified by a nationally recognized teacher certification organization that is approved by the state board of education.
(4)
The state board of education is authorized to enter into interstate reciprocal agreements in which the department of education agrees to issue initial teacher licenses to persons licensed to teach in another state.
(5)
(Deleted by amendment, L. 2006, p. 637, § 50, effective August 7, 2006.)
Amended by 2023 Ch. 184,§ 5, eff. 8/7/2023.
Amended by 2021 Ch. 245, § 2, eff. 9/7/2021.
Amended by 2020 Ch. 197, § 14, eff. 6/30/2020.
Amended by 2019 Ch. 37, § 6, eff. 8/2/2019.
Amended by 2019 Ch. 30, § 2, eff. 3/11/2019.
Amended by 2018 Ch. 269, § 4, eff. 8/8/2018.
Amended by 2018 Ch. 97, § 5, eff. 8/8/2018.
Amended by 2018 Ch. 76, § 1, eff. 8/8/2018.
Amended by 2018 Ch. 47, § 1, eff. 8/8/2018.
Amended by 2017 Ch. 268, § 1, eff. 8/9/2017.
Amended by 2017 Ch. 5, § 6, eff. 8/9/2017.
L. 91: Entire article added, p. 483, § 1, effective June 6. L. 94: (1)(b)(I)(C), (1)(b)(III), and (1)(c)(I)(B) amended and (1)(c)(I)(C) added, p. 1801, § 1, effective May 31. L. 96: (3) amended, p. 1785, § 2, effective June 3. L. 97: (1)(b)(III), (1)(c)(I)(B), and (2) amended and (3.5) added, pp. 1659, 1662, 1664, §§ 10, 14, 22, effective June 5. L. 99: (3) amended, p. 890, § 1, effective May 24; IP(1)(b)(I) amended and (1)(b)(II.5) added, p. 1196, § 11, effective June 1. L. 2000: IP(1)(c)(I) and (3) amended and (1)(c)(II.5) added, p. 1103, § 1, effective August 2. L. 2002: IP(1)(c)(I) amended, p. 1020, § 33, effective June 1. L. 2004: (1)(a)(I)(B), (1)(a)(I)(C), (1)(a)(II)(A), (1)(b)(I)(A), IP(1)(c)(I), and (1)(c)(I)(B) amended and (1)(c)(II.7) added, p. 1279, § 3, effective May 28. L. 2005: (1)(b), (1)(c)(I), (1)(c)(II), (2), (3), and (4) amended, p. 177, § 12, effective April 7. L. 2006: (1)(b)(I)(C), (1)(b)(III)(A), and (5) amended, p. 637, § 50, effective August 7. L. 2007: (1)(a)(IV) amended, p. 55, § 2, effective March 14. L. 2009: IP(1), (1)(a), IP(1)(b)(I), (1)(b)(I)(B), and (1)(b)(II.5) amended, (SB 09-160), ch. 1449, p. 1449, § 4, effective May 21. L. 2017: (1)(a)(I)(D) amended, (HB 17-1332), ch. 1479, p. 1479, § 1, effective August 9; (1)(a)(IV) and (1)(a)(V) amended, (SB 17 -052), ch. 11, p. 11, § 6, effective August 9. L. 2018: (1)(a)(IV), (1)(a)(V), (1)(b)(III)(A), IP(1)(c)(I), and (1)(c)(I)(B) amended, (SB 18-160), ch. 761, p. 761, § 5, effective August 8; (1)(a.5) added and IP(1)(b)(I) and (1)(b)(I)(B) amended, (HB 18-1309), ch. 1661, p. 1661, § 4, effective August 8; (3)(b)(I)(B) amended and (3)(b)(III) added, (HB 18-1095), ch. 481, p. 481, § 1, effective August 8; (3)(b)(I)(B) amended, (HB 18-1130), ch. 659, p. 659, § 1, effective August 8. L. 2019: (3)(b)(I)(B) amended and (3)(b)(III) repealed, (HB 19 -1059), ch. 97, p. 97, § 2, effective March 11; (1)(a)(IV), (1)(a)(V), (1)(b)(III)(A), and (1)(c)(I)(B) amended, (SB 19 -069), ch. 124, p. 124, § 6, effective August 2. L. 2020: (1)(a.5)(I)(B) and (1)(b)(I)(B) amended, (HB 20-1418), ch. 944, p. 944, § 14, effective June 30. L. 2021: (1)(c)(III)(A) amended, (HB 21-1104), ch. 1320, p. 1320, § 2, effective September 7.
Amendments to subsection (3)(b)(I)(B) by HB 18-1095 and HB 18-1130 were harmonized.
2023 Ch. 184, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).
2021 Ch. 245, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).
For the legislative declaration in HB 19-1059, see section 1 of chapter 30, Session Laws of Colorado 2019. For the legislative declaration in HB 20-1418, see section 1 of chapter 197, Session Laws of Colorado 2020. For the legislative declaration in HB 21-1104, see section 1 of chapter 245, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.