COCODE

22-60.5-110. Renewal of licenses.

Statute text

(1) Any license shall expire as prescribed in section 22-60.5-201, 22-60.5-210, 22-60.5-301, or 22-60.5-306, subject to the provisions of section 24-4-104 (7), C.R.S., when applicable.

(2) Any initial license may be renewed upon submitting an application for renewal, payment of the statutory fee, and evidence of satisfying any requirements established by rule and regulation of the state board of education.

(3) (a) A licensee may renew his or her professional license by submitting an application for renewal, paying the fee established by the state board of education pursuant to section 22-60.5-112, and providing the affidavit of satisfactory completion of ongoing professional development as described in paragraph (a.5) of this subsection (3). A licensee need not be employed as a professional educator during all or any portion of the term for which his or her professional educator license is valid. Employment as a professional educator shall not constitute a requirement for renewal of a professional license. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (e) of this subsection (3), the professional development activities completed by an applicant for license renewal shall apply equally to renewal of any professional educator license or endorsement held by the applicant.

(a.5) A licensee who seeks renewal of his or her professional license shall sign and submit with the renewal application an affidavit in which the licensee affirms under oath that he or she satisfactorily completed the ongoing professional development activities specified in the affidavit; that the activities were completed within the term of the professional license; and that, to the best of the licensee's knowledge, the activities meet the requirements of this section and rules adopted by the state board of education implementing this section. The department may accept a licensee's affidavit of satisfactory completion of ongoing professional development as proof of completion of the specified professional development activities without further verification.

(b) A professional licensee shall complete the ongoing professional development within the period of time for which the professional license is valid. The professional development may include but need not be limited to in-service education programs, including training in preventing, identifying, and responding to child sexual abuse and assault; behavioral health training that is culturally responsive and trauma- and evidence-informed; and laws and practices relating to the education of students with disabilities in the classroom, including but not limited to child find and inclusive learning environments; college or university credit from an accepted institution of higher education or a community, technical, or local district college; educational travel that meets the requirements specified in subsection (3)(d) of this section; involvement in school reform; service as a mentor teacher for teacher candidates participating in clinical practice, as defined in section 23-78-103; internships; ongoing professional development training and experiences; and teacher externships pursuant to section 8-83-602.5. The state board of education, by rule, may establish minimum criteria for professional development; except that the criteria shall not:

(I) Specify any particular type of professional development activity as a requirement or partial requirement for license renewal, except as provided in subsection (3)(b.7) or (3)(f) of this section;

(II) Require completion of more than six credit hours or more than ninety total clock hours of activities during the term of any professional license;

(III) Prescribe a schedule for completion of professional development activity during the term of any professional license; or

(IV) Require prior approval or supervision of professional development activities.

(b.5) In adopting minimum criteria for professional development activities, the state board, by rule, may require all or a portion of the professional development activities to be related to increasing the license holder's competence in his or her existing or potential endorsement area; increasing the professional licensee's skills and competence in delivery of instruction in his or her existing or potential endorsement area; the teaching of literacy; increasing awareness and knowledge of behavioral health concerns, responses, and strategies; or increasing awareness of laws and practices relating to educating students with disabilities in the classroom, including but not limited to child find and inclusive learning environments.

(b.7) (I) Except as provided in subsection (3)(f) of this section for renewal of a professional teacher license, in selecting professional development activities for renewal of a special services, principal, or administrator license, in addition to the other requirements set forth in this section, the special services, principal, or administrator licensee shall complete a minimum of ten clock hours of professional development hours required during the term of any special services, principal, or administrator license in professional development activities relating to increasing awareness of laws and practices relating to educating students with disabilities in the classroom, including but not limited to child find and inclusive learning environments.

(II) A licensee who has less than three years left in the license renewal period on June 30, 2020, has until the end of the next applicable renewal period to complete the requirements established in subsection (3)(b.7)(I) of this section and may submit classes and activities completed within five years prior to June 30, 2020, to satisfy the requirements of subsection (3)(b.7)(I) of this section.

(III) Nothing in subsection (3)(b.7)(I) of this section prohibits a licensee from applying a single professional development course or ability to one or more content or hourly requirements established pursuant to this section or by rule of the state board of education.

(c) In selecting professional development activities for the renewal of a professional license pursuant to this section, each licensee shall choose those activities that will aid the licensee in meeting the standards for a professional educator, including but not limited to the following goals:

(I) Knowledge of subject matter content and learning, including knowledge and application of standards-based education pursuant to part 10 of article 7 of this title;

(II) Effective use of assessments in planning for instructional delivery and in individualizing student instruction;

(III) Effective teaching of the democratic ideal;

(IV) Recognition, appreciation, and support for ethnic, cultural, gender, economic, and human diversity to provide fair and equitable treatment and consideration for all;

(V) Effective communication with students, colleagues, parents, and the community;

(VI) Effective modeling of appropriate behaviors to ensure quality learning experiences for students and for colleagues;

(VII) Effective leadership to ensure a school community that is committed to and focused on learning;

(VIII) Consistently ethical behavior and creation of an environment that encourages and develops responsibility, ethics, and citizenship in self and others;

(IX) Achievement as a continuous learner who encourages and supports personal and professional development of self and others;

(X) Effective organization and management of human and financial resources to create a safe and effective working and learning environment;

(XI) Awareness of warning signs of dangerous behavior in youth and situations that present a threat to the health and safety of students and knowledge of the community resources available to enhance the health and safety of students and the school community, youth mental health, safe de-escalation of crisis situations, recognition of signs of poor mental health and substance use, and support of students. Training provided pursuant to this subsection (3)(c)(XI) must be provided using culturally responsive and trauma- and evidence-based practices; and

(XII) Awareness of laws and practices relating to educating students with disabilities in the classroom, including but not limited to child find and inclusive learning environments.

(d) To be accepted as a professional development activity, educational travel shall be applicable to the endorsement area of the professional licensee's license, as demonstrated by the professional licensee.

(e) In selecting professional development activities for renewal of a professional principal license, the professional licensee shall select activities that are specific to improving his or her skills as a principal. In addition, if the school district in which the professional licensee is employed has identified, pursuant to section 22-9-106, specific areas in which he or she needs improvement or, pursuant to section 22-32-109 (1)(jj), specific professional development programs to assist the professional licensee in improving his or her skills as a principal, the professional licensee shall complete activities in those identified areas or shall complete those specific programs. In reviewing the professional licensee's application for license renewal, the department shall deny the application for renewal if the professional licensee does not comply with the requirements specified in this paragraph (e).

(f) (I) In selecting professional development activities for renewal of a professional teacher license only, in addition to the other requirements set forth in this section, except for those set forth for special services, principal, or administrator licenses in subsection (3)(b.7) of this section, the professional teacher licensee shall complete a minimum of ten clock hours of the professional development hours required during the term of any professional license in training relating to:

(A) Behavioral health training that is culturally responsive and trauma- and evidence-informed; and

(B) Increasing awareness of laws and practices relating to educating students with disabilities in the classroom, including but not limited to child find and inclusive learning environments.

(II) The ten clock hours required pursuant to subsection (3)(f)(I) of this section may be obtained through any combination of courses related to subsection (3)(f)(I) of this section, so long as at least one of the required clock hours is related to behavioral health training that is culturally responsive and trauma- and evidence-informed and one of the required clock hours is related to increasing awareness of laws and practices relating to educating students with disabilities in the classroom, including but not limited to child find and inclusive learning environments.

(III) A professional teacher licensee who has less than three years left in the license renewal period on June 30, 2020, has until the end of the next applicable renewal period to complete the requirements established in subsection (3)(f)(I) of this section and may submit classes and activities completed within five years prior to June 30, 2020, to satisfy the requirements of subsection (3)(f)(I) of this section.

(IV) Nothing in subsection (3)(f)(I) of this section prohibits a professional teacher licensee from applying a single professional development course or activity to one or more content or hourly requirements established pursuant to this section or by rule of the state board of education.

(V) The behavioral health training required pursuant to subsection (3)(f)(I) of this section may include programs such as:

(A) Mental health first aid specific to youth and teens;

(B) Staff development training modules concerning how to prevent teen suicide;

(D) Training approved or provided by the school district where the teacher is employed;

(E) Training concerning students with behavioral concerns or disabilities;

(F) Training modules concerning child traumatic stress; and

(G) Any other program or training that meets the requirements of this subsection (3)(f).

(4) Any applicant whose application for renewal of any license has been denied may appeal to the state board of education. If the state board of education finds that the applicant has met the criteria established by this section and by rule and regulation of the state board of education, the renewal of the license shall be approved by said board.

(5) Any person whose professional license or master certificate is not renewed may reinstate his or her professional license or master certificate by submitting to the department of education such information or other evidence as may be necessary to cure the defect that resulted in nonrenewal of the professional license or master certificate and by paying the reinstatement fee set by the state board of education pursuant to section 22-60.5-112. Such curative information or evidence includes but is not limited to evidence of completion of professional development requirements, as specified in subsection (3) of this section, where the license or master certificate is not renewed because of failure to complete such requirements. Prior to reinstatement, any licensee whose professional license or master certificate is not renewed shall be deemed to not hold a professional license or master certificate. No person shall be required to demonstrate professional competencies in order to reinstate a professional license or master certificate.

History

Source: L. 91: Entire article added, p. 476, 1, effective June 6. L. 97: (3) amended and (5) added, pp. 1654, 1657, 3, 5, effective June 5. L. 98: (3)(c)(I) amended, p. 991, 15, effective July 1. L. 2004: (5) amended, p. 1286, 21, effective May 28. L. 2005: (2), IP(3)(b), and (3)(c)(II) amended and (3)(b.5) and (3)(d) added, pp. 176, 173, 9, 4, effective April 7. L. 2006: (3)(a) amended and (3)(e) added, p. 1240, 3, effective May 26; IP(3)(b), (3)(c)(IX), and (3)(c)(X) amended and (3)(c)(XI) added, p. 251, 1, effective August 7. L. 2011: (3)(a) amended and (3)(a.5) added, (HB 11-1201), ch. 139, p. 482, 1, effective May 4. L. 2015: (3)(c)(I) amended, (HB 15-1323), ch. 204, p. 726, 39, effective May 20; IP(3)(b) amended, (SB 15-020), ch. 277, p. 1136, 6, effective June 5. L. 2019: IP(3)(b) amended, (SB 19-190), ch. 153, p. 1820, 3, effective May 10. L. 2020: IP(3)(b), (3)(b)(I), (3)(b.5), (3)(c)(X), and (3)(c)(XI) amended and (3)(b.7) and (3)(c)(XII) added, (HB 20-1128), ch. 86, p. 343, 2, effective March 24; IP(3)(b), (3)(b)(I), (3)(b.5), (3)(b.7)(I), and (3)(c)(XI) amended and (3)(f) added, (HB 20-1312), ch. 258, p. 1248, 1, effective July 8. L. 2023: IP(3)(b) amended, (HB 23-1198), ch. 239, p. 1289, 3, effective August 7.

Annotations

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 20-1128, see section 1 of chapter 86, Session Laws of Colorado 2020.