Senate Bill 25-154 Engrossed

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, 22-60.5-203, amend

• Page 2, Line 3 (6) introductory portion, (6)(a), and (6)(b) introductory portion; and add (7) as follows:

• Page 2, Line 422-60.5-203.  Assessment of professional competencies -

• Page 2, Line 5multiple measures to assess professional competencies - rules. (6)  For

• Page 2, Line 6purposes of establishing minimum competency in a licensure

• Page 2, Line 7endorsement area, the state board of education shall establish minimum

• Page 2, Line 8course work coursework standards that align with the quality standards

• Page 3, Line 1established by the state board of education pursuant to section 22-2-109

• Page 3, Line 2(3). Attainment of the minimum course work coursework standards may be shown in one of the following ways:

• Page 3, Line 3(a)  For early childhood education, early childhood special

• Page 3, Line 4education, and elementary teachers candidates, including special

• Page 3, Line 5education generalist teachers candidates, demonstration of

• Page 3, Line 6competencies using the multiple measures set forth in subsection (3)(a) of this section;

• (b)  For secondary teachers candidates:

• Page 3, Line 8(7) (a)  Currently licensed Colorado teachers seeking to

• Page 3, Line 9add an early childhood education endorsement, early

• Page 3, Line 10childhood special education endorsement, elementary

• Page 3, Line 11education endorsement, or special education generalist

• Page 3, Line 12endorsement may demonstrate professional competencies by

• Page 3, Line 13submitting evidence of achieving sufficiently high education

• Page 3, Line 14coursework grades on coursework aligned with relevant standards as approved by the department.

• Page 3, Line 15(b)  If the one thousand applicant spots described in

• Page 3, Line 16subsection (3)(b) of this section have not been filled, currently

• Page 3, Line 17licensed Colorado teachers who are seeking additional

• Page 3, Line 18licensure endorsements may demonstrate professional

• Page 3, Line 19competencies using the multiple measures set forth in subsection(3)(a) of this section.

• Page 3, Line 20SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-35-108.5, add (8) as follows:

• Page 3, Line 2122-35-108.5.  Teacher recruitment education and preparation

• Page 4, Line 1(TREP) program - objectives - selection criteria - rules.

• Page 4, Line 2(8)  Institutions of higher education that offer a program of

• Page 4, Line 3off-campus instruction and that have courses included in the

• Page 4, Line 4guaranteed transfer pathway matrix, as defined in section

• Page 4, Line 523-1-108.5 (2), or that are part of a statewide degree transfer

• Page 4, Line 6agreement, as described in section 23-1-108 (7), may participate

• Page 4, Line 7in the TREP program only if the courses are offered at a tuition

• Page 4, Line 8rate that does not exceed the tuition rate established by the

• Page 4, Line 9state board for community colleges and occupational education.

• Page 4, Line 10SECTION 3.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-35-110, amend (1) as follows:

• Page 4, Line 1122-35-110.  Exclusions. (1)  The provisions of Except for

• Page 4, Line 12courses offered as part of the TREP program pursuant to

• Page 4, Line 13section 22-35-108.5, this article 35 shall does not apply to any course

• Page 4, Line 14that is offered as part of a program of off-campus instruction established pursuant to section 23-1-109 (1) to (5).

• Page 4, Line 15SECTION 4.  Act subject to petition - effective date. This act

• Page 4, Line 16takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the

• Page 4, Line 17ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except

• Page 4, Line 18that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V

• Page 4, Line 19of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this

• Page 4, Line 20act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take

• Page 4, Line 21effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in

• Page 4, Line 22November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.