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English Learner Educator Professional Development Requirements

About the English Learner Educator Licensure Requirements

In order to ensure that all Colorado educators are well equipped and able to teach Colorado’s diverse student population, the Colorado State Board of Education approved new rules for educator licensure. The new rules include four quality standards and eight elements for supporting the learning of culturally and linguistically diverse students that educators must meet.

News

A new web page is available that details professional development requirements in this and other categories.

View a tutorial video for educators!  The purpose of this video is to help you understand the English Learner PD requirements for license renewal, navigate the information on the website, and complete the required matrix.  

A list of CDE-approved English Learner Professional Development programs is now available.

Below is basic information about the new requirements for educators, districts/BOCES, and educator preparation programs. Click the icons to be taken to the applicable pages with more detailed information.

Information for:

This section provides information for:

  • educators endorsed in elementary, math, science, social studies, or English seeking a renewal of their professional license
  • all other current and future educators
  • anyone seeking general information about these new requirements

This section provides information for:

  • districts, BOCES, and other non-profit or professional development organizations interested in gaining approval from CDE as an English Learner Professional Development Program
  • district, BOCES, and school leaders who want to know what their educators will need to do to maintain their professional teaching license


What Are the Standards?

Below are the standards related to addressing the needs of English learners to which professional development activities must align.

5.09 Quality Standard I: Educators are knowledgeable about CLD populations

5.09(1) ELEMENT A: Educators are knowledgeable in, understand, and able to apply the major theories, concepts and research related to culture, diversity and equity in order to support academic access and opportunity for CLD student populations.

5.09(2) ELEMENT B: Educators are knowledgeable in, understand, and able to use progress monitoring in conjunction with formative and summative assessments to support student learning.

5.10 Quality Standard II: Educators should be knowledgeable in first and second language acquisition.

5.10(1) ELEMENT A: Educators are able to understand and implement strategies and select materials to aid in English language and content learning.

5.10(2) ELEMENT B: Educators are knowledgeable of, understand, and able to apply the major theories, concepts and research related to culture, diversity and equity in order to support academic access and opportunity for CLD student populations.

5.11 Quality Standard III: Educators should understand literacy development for CLD students.

5.11(1) ELEMENT A: Educators are knowledgeable in, understand, and able to apply the major theories, concepts and research related to literacy development for CLD students

5.11(2) ELEMENT B: Educators understand and implement strategies and select materials to aid in English language and content learning.

5.12 Quality Standard IV: Educators are knowledgeable in the teaching strategies, including methods, materials, and assessment for CLD students.

5.12(1) ELEMENT A: Educators are knowledgeable in, understand and able to use the major theories, concepts and research related to language acquisition and language development for CLD students.

5.12(2) ELEMENT B: Educators are knowledgeable in, understand, and able to use progress monitoring in conjunction with formative and summative assessments to support student learning.


For questions about these requirements, contact the Educator Development Office.