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Endorsement Requirements
Colorado Endorsements
Please note: The information on this page pertains to endorsements only. Applicants also must meet all other requirements for the license sought. Please refer to general licensure requirements for more details about what is needed for a Colorado educator license.
Colorado endorsements are issued based on the competency requirements set forth by the Colorado Educator Licensing Act of 1991 and the Rules of Regulations associated with those statutes.
- Rule 3.03(4) of 1 CCR 301-101 states that applicants will have a maximum of five years from the discontinuation date of a content assessment (if taken during the time an exam was approved) to use the successful content assessment scores for fulfillment of endorsement criteria (discontinued endorsements excepted). A chart of all previous content exams is listed at the link above.
For Grades 7-12 Endorsements, Early Childhood Education and Some K-12 Endorsements:
You may meet competency requirements by:
- completing an approved program at a regionally accredited institution of higher education (which leads to licensure or endorsement in that state) OR by
- completing at least 24 semester hours of specific coursework from a regionally accredited college/university (as determined by transcript review via the worksheets hyperlinked below) OR by
- passing the appropriate Colorado State Board of Education-approved content exam.
For All Other Endorsements:
- Please refer to the charts below for the specific requirements.
- If you do not see the endorsement(s) on your out-of-state license listed below, please visit our Out-of-State Endorsement FAQ page.
- To view a searchable database of programs by endorsement area, region served, grade level or type of program, view our Educator Preparation Searchable Database
- For a list of the state-approved programs offered at Colorado colleges and universities, please see the Colorado Department of Higher Education’s Educator Preparation website.
- If you are seeking a Career and Technical Education Authorization endorsement, please visit our CTE page.
- If you are seeking an alternative teacher license, please refer to the available endorsement areas on our Alternative Licensing page.
To apply, click the button at the bottom of the page.
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Endorsements Earned Via Degree, Approved Program, Specific Coursework or Content Exam
The following endorsements may be earned in one of four ways:
1. an earned bachelor's or higher degree in the content area from a regionally accredited college/university (or the equivalent as determined by a NACES member organization)
2. completion of an approved program in the content area (which leads to licensure or endorsement in the state in which the program is approved)
3. 24 semester hours of specific coursework as outlined on the worksheet provided
4. a passing score on a Colorado-approved content exam.
Please note*: The worksheets linked below are for use by candidates seeking to add an endorsement to an existing Colorado teaching license and who HAVE NOT completed an approved program in the endorsement area sought. The corresponding rule for each endorsement is listed and linked next to each endorsement name.
The Colorado State Board of Education approved the adoption of Praxis exams for most Colorado endorsement areas, effective June 9, 2016. View the list of all previous versions of Colorado approved content assessments and discontinuance dates.
Endorsement Worksheet - Rules for endorsement |
Accepted PLACE Exam All PLACE Exam Passing Scores: 220
*** The last PLACE administration was on May 6, 2017; scores will be accepted until May 6, 2022 for active endorsements only (this section only and subject to change). ***
|
Accepted Praxis Exam / Required Minimum Score |
---|---|---|
Agriculture and Natural Resources Education (7-12) (PDF) - 4.03 (PDF) |
40 |
5701 / Passing Score: 147 |
34 or 35 |
5101 / Passing Score: 154 or 5561 / Passing Score: 157 |
|
30 |
5641 / Passing Score: 153 |
|
02 |
5024 / Passing Score: 160 |
|
07 |
5038 / Passing Score: 167 |
|
36 |
5122 / Passing Score: 153 |
|
31 |
5551 / Passing Score: 155 |
|
51 |
5652 / Passing Score: 149 |
|
Mathematics |
n/a 04 |
5169 / Passing Score: 165 5161 / Passing Score: 152 |
Mentor Teacher (K-12) (coming Spring 2021) |
n/a | |
29 |
5113 / Passing Score: 161 |
|
32 |
5091 / Passing Score: 148 |
|
05 |
5435 / Passing Score: 152 |
|
06 |
5081 / Passing Score:150 |
|
19 |
5221 / Passing Score: 146 |
|
37 |
5051 / Passing Score: 159 |
|
28 |
5135 / Passing Score: 158 |
|
World Languages (K-12) (PDF) - 4.10 (PDF) (American Sign Language, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Spanish) |
**There is no PLACE exam for ASL.**
|
**Praxis exams presently are not available for ASL, Italian, Japanese* or Russian.* These endorsements may be added to an valid Colorado license via approved program or 24 semester hours of specific coursework as outlined in the worksheet to the left.** *anticipated 2021
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Endorsements with Additional Requirements
Endorsement | Requirements |
---|---|
|
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Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (K-12) (PDF) - 4.22 (PDF) |
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Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Bilingual Education Specialist (K-12) (PDF) - 4.23 (PDF) |
|
|
|
|
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Gifted Education Specialist (PreK-12) (PDF) - 5.07 (PDF) |
|
Instructional Technology Specialist (K-12) - 6.07 (PDF) |
|
Reading Teacher (K-12) - 6.03 (PDF) |
|
Reading Specialist (K-12) - 6.04 (PDF) |
|
Teacher Librarian (K-12) - 6.02 (PDF) |
|
Special Education Teacher Endorsements
Endorsement | Requirements |
---|---|
Early Childhood Special Education (ages 0-8) - 5.09 (PDF) |
|
Early Childhood Special Education Specialist (ages 0-8) - 5.05 (PDF) |
|
|
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Special Education Specialist (ages 5-21) - 5.02 (PDF) |
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Special Education Specialist: Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ages 0-21) - 5.04 (PDF) |
|
Special Education Specialist: Visually Impaired Ages (ages 0-21) - 5.03 (PDF) |
|
Special Service Provider Endorsements
Endorsement | Requirements | Content Exam |
---|---|---|
School Audiologist (ages 0-21) - 7.01 (PDF) |
|
Praxis 5342 / Passing Score: 170 |
School Counselor (ages 0-21) - 7.09 (PDF) |
Pathway 1 (initial or professional SSP license/school counselor):
Pathway 2 (interim authorization/school counselor) :
When issued, this interim authorization will be valid for one calendar year and may not be renewed. During that time, the authorized school counselor must fulfill the following requirements:
Upon expiration of the interim license and fulfillment of the exam and induction requirements, the authorization-holder may apply for a professional SSP license with a school counselor endorsement. |
PLACE 41 / Passing Score: 220 OR Praxis 5421 / Passing Score: 156
|
School Nurse (ages 0-21) - 7.05 (PDF) |
*CCNE- and ACEN-accredited programs also accepted. |
None |
School Occupational Therapist (ages 0-21) - 7.02 (PDF) |
|
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School Orientation and Mobility Specialist (ages 0-21) - 7.03 (PDF) |
|
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School Physical Therapist (ages 0-21) - 7.04 (PDF) |
|
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School Psychologist (ages 0-21) - 7.06 (PDF) |
|
Praxis 5402 / Passing Score: 147 OR |
School Social Worker (ages 0-21) - 7.07 (PDF) |
|
PLACE 47 / Passing Score: 220 OR (Master's, Clinical or Advanced Generalist only) |
School Speech-Language Pathologist (ages 0-21) - 7.08 (PDF) |
|
OR Praxis 5331 / Passing Score: 162 |
Leadership Licenses
License | Requirements | Content Exam |
---|---|---|
Principal (This is a building-level leadership endorsement) - 3.03 (PDF) |
|
PLACE 80 / Passing Score: 220 OR Praxis 5411/ Passing Score:145 if taken before Aug. 31, 2019 OR PRAXIS 5412 / Passing Score: 146
|
Administrator (This is a district-level leadership endorsement) - 3.04 (PDF) |
School Administrator ("superintendent") endorsement
|
PRAXIS 6991 / Passing Score: 162 |
|
Special Education Director endorsement 6.05 (PDF)
|
PRAXIS 6991 / Passing Score: 162
|
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Gifted Education Director endorsement 6.06 (PDF)
|
PRAXIS 6991 / Passing Score: 162
|
Discontinued Endorsements
Endorsement | Additional Information |
---|---|
Business (7-12) |
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Gifted & Talented Specialist (P-12) |
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Linguistically Diverse Education (K-12) / Linguistically Diverse Bilingual Education (K-12) |
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Marketing (7-12) |
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School Librarian (K-12) |
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Trade and Industry (7-12) |
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