A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning enhancing access to educator pathways.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill requires an early childhood special education, elementary, or special education generalist licensure endorsement candidate who meets the minimum coursework standards by successfully completing a content-based or a performance-based assessment (assessments) to successfully complete certain assessments.
A candidate for an early childhood special education licensure endorsement must successfully complete no more than 2 assessments that measure:
- Knowledge and skills important for the safe and effective practice of a special education teacher who serves students from birth through third grade; and
- Knowledge and skills that an initial teacher must have to support the reading and writing development of students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
- Mathematical knowledge and skills that are essential for students in kindergarten through sixth grade; and
- Knowledge and skills that an initial teacher must have to support the reading and writing development of students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
- Basic principles of general special education and the application of those principles to realistic situations; and
- Knowledge and skills that an initial teacher must have to support the reading and writing development of students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
A candidate for an elementary licensure endorsement must successfully complete no more than 2 assessments that measure:
A candidate for a special education generalist licensure endorsement must successfully complete no more than 2 assessments that measure:
The bill 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.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-60.5-106, amend (2) as follows:
Page 2, Line 322-60.5-106. Endorsement of license - effect - rules.
Page 2, Line 4(2) Notwithstanding the discretionary authority granted in subsection (1)
Page 2, Line 5of this section, the department of education shall issue a special education
Page 2, Line 6teacher endorsement to
an applicantPage 2, Line 7coursework and assessments, as specified by rule of the state board of
Page 2, Line 8education and as specified pursuant to section 22-60.5-203 (6)(a), in
Page 2, Line 9a program in special education, early childhood special education,
Page 3, Line 1and elementary education offered by an accepted institution of higher
Page 3, Line 2education or an alternative teacher preparation program for special
Page 3, Line 3education, early childhood special education, and elementary
Page 3, Line 4education offered by a designated agency, which
programPage 3, Line 5SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-60.5-203, amend
Page 3, Line 6(2), (3)(a) introductory portion, (3)(b), (6) introductory portion, (6)(a), and (6)(b) introductory portion as follows:
Page 3, Line 722-60.5-203. Assessment of professional competencies -
Page 3, Line 8multiple measures to assess professional competencies - rules. (2) The
Page 3, Line 9state board by rule shall identify the professional competencies required
Page 3, Line 10of the
applicantsPage 3, Line 11specifically in the context of the requirements of standards-based
Page 3, Line 12education pursuant to the requirements of part 10 of article 7 of this
title.Page 3, Line 13
SuchPage 3, Line 14for early childhood special education, elementary, or special
Page 3, Line 15education generalist licensure endorsement candidates who
Page 3, Line 16choose to demonstrate the requirements through an approved
Page 3, Line 17content-based or a performance-based assessment, as described
Page 3, Line 18in subsection (3)(a)(I) of this section, or through a combination
Page 3, Line 19of methods, as described in subsection (3)(a)(IV) of this section,
Page 3, Line 20are set forth in subsection (6)(a) of this section. The professional
Page 3, Line 21competencies apply to
an applicantapplicantPage 3, Line 22(3) (a) Beginning in the 2023-24 academic year,
applicantsPage 3, Line 23candidates for initial teacher licenses, and
applicantsPage 3, Line 24professional teacher licenses who did not demonstrate professional
Page 4, Line 1competencies prior to obtaining an initial teacher license, may demonstrate professional competencies by:
Page 4, Line 2(b) The review panel may examine a portfolio of
course workPage 4, Line 3coursework, as described in subsection (3)(a)(II) of this section, for up
Page 4, Line 4to one thousand
applicantsPage 4, Line 5review panel shall not examine a portfolio of
course workPage 4, Line 6for more than one thousand
applicantsPage 4, Line 7(6) For purposes of establishing minimum competency in a
Page 4, Line 8licensure endorsement area, the state board of education shall establish
Page 4, Line 9minimum
course workPage 4, Line 10standards established by the state board of education pursuant to section
Page 4, Line 1122-2-109 (3). Attainment of the minimum
course workPage 4, Line 12(a) For early childhood education, early childhood special
Page 4, Line 13education, and elementary
teachersPage 4, Line 14education generalist
teachersPage 4, Line 15competencies using the multiple measures set forth in subsection (3)(a) of this section; except that:
Page 4, Line 16(I) An early childhood special education candidate who
Page 4, Line 17chooses to attain minimum coursework standards by
Page 4, Line 18successfully completing an approved content-based or a
Page 4, Line 19performance-based assessment, as described in subsection
Page 4, Line 20(3)(a)(I) of this section, or through a combination of methods, as
Page 4, Line 21described in subsection (3)(a)(IV) of this section, must
Page 4, Line 22successfully complete no more than two assessments that
Page 4, Line 23measure:
Page 5, Line 1(A) Knowledge and skills important for the safe and
Page 5, Line 2effective practice of a special education teacher who serves students from birth through third grade; and
Page 5, Line 3(B) Knowledge and skills an initial teacher must have to
Page 5, Line 4support the reading and writing development of students in kindergarten through sixth grade;
Page 5, Line 5(II) An elementary candidate who chooses to attain
Page 5, Line 6minimum coursework standards by successfully completing an
Page 5, Line 7approved content-based or a performance-based assessment, as
Page 5, Line 8described in subsection (3)(a)(I) of this section, or through a
Page 5, Line 9combination of methods, as described in subsection (3)(a)(IV) of
Page 5, Line 10this section, must successfully complete no more than two assessments that measure:
Page 5, Line 11(A) Mathematical knowledge and skills that are essential for students in kindergarten through sixth grade; and
Page 5, Line 12(B) Knowledge and skills an initial teacher must have to
Page 5, Line 13support the reading and writing development of students in kindergarten through sixth grade;
Page 5, Line 14(III) A special education generalist candidate who
Page 5, Line 15chooses to attain minimum coursework standards by
Page 5, Line 16successfully completing an approved content-based or a
Page 5, Line 17performance-based assessment, as described in subsection
Page 5, Line 18(3)(a)(I) of this section, or through a combination of methods, as
Page 5, Line 19described in subsection (3)(a)(IV) of this section, must
Page 5, Line 20successfully complete no more than two assessments that measure:
Page 5, Line 21(A) Basic principles of general special education and the application of the basic principles to realistic situations; and
Page 6, Line 1(B) Knowledge and skills an initial teacher must have to
Page 6, Line 2support the reading and writing development of students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
Page 6, Line 3(b) For secondary
teachersPage 6, Line 4SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-35-108.5, add (8) as follows:
Page 6, Line 522-35-108.5. Teacher recruitment education and preparation
Page 6, Line 6(TREP) program - objectives - selection criteria - rules.
Page 6, Line 7(8) Institutions of higher education that offer a program of
Page 6, Line 8off-campus instruction and that have courses included in the
Page 6, Line 9guaranteed transfer pathway matrix, as defined in section
Page 6, Line 1023-1-108.5 (2), or that are part of a statewide degree transfer
Page 6, Line 11agreement, as described in section 23-1-108 (7), may participate
Page 6, Line 12in the TREP program only if the courses are offered at a tuition
Page 6, Line 13rate that does not exceed the tuition rate established by the
Page 6, Line 14state board for community colleges and occupational education.
Page 6, Line 15SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-35-110, amend (1) as follows:
Page 6, Line 1622-35-110. Exclusions. (1)
The provisions ofPage 6, Line 17courses offered as part of the TREP program pursuant to
Page 6, Line 18section 22-35-108.5, this article 35
shallPage 6, Line 19that is offered as part of a program of off-campus instruction established pursuant to section 23-1-109 (1) to (5).
Page 6, Line 20SECTION 5. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 6, Line 21takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 7, Line 1ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 7, Line 2that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 7, Line 3of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 7, Line 4act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 7, Line 5effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 7, Line 6November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.