Access to Educator Pathways

The act allows a currently licensed Colorado teacher seeking to add an early childhood education endorsement, early childhood special education endorsement, elementary education endorsement, or special education generalist endorsement to demonstrate professional competencies by submitting evidence of achieving sufficiently high education coursework grades on coursework aligned with relevant standards as approved by the department of education.

If the applicant spots for the multiple measures pathway are not filled, the act allows currently licensed Colorado teachers who are seeking additional licensure endorsements to demonstrate professional competencies using the multiple measures pathway.

The act clarifies that 4-year institutions of higher education that offer programs of off-campus instruction and that have courses included in the guaranteed transfer pathway matrix or that are part of a statewide degree transfer agreement may participate in the teacher recruitment education and preparation program.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)