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English Learner PD Requirements - Information for Educators

Current Professionally Licensed Educators

To help better support students in Colorado who are English language learners, the State Board of Education adopted new rules in June 2018 requiring educators with elementary, math, science, social studies and English language arts (and any middle-level) endorsements to complete Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Education training or professional development (PD).

Educators holding an elementary, math, science, social studies, or English language arts (or any middle-level) endorsement on a professional license that expires on or after Sept. 1, 2025 must meet this requirement at the time of renewal.

Navigate the English Learner Educator Licensure Requirements

What is the English Learner PD requirement

Educators must demonstrate completion of training or professional development activities equivalent to 45 clock/contact hours or three semester hours in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Education. Educators with previous CLD training or past experience can count it toward meeting their:

  1. new English Learner Professional Development requirement,
    and
  2. their 90 clock hours of professional development requirement for renewing their educator license.

For more detailed information on the process for renewing a professional teaching license and how to document professional development, please see the Professional Teacher Renewal Checklist.

Below are three pathways to meeting this requirement.

I am a teacher that already has some relevant PD completed...

  • The English Learner PD Standards Matrix must be completed and submitted with the professional license renewal application.
  • Past PD can be counted, even if it was already used to satisfy license renewal requirements.
  • PD does not have to be pre-approved by CDE to count toward this requirement.
  • For a list of free PD opportunities by standard, please visit the Office of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education page.
  • Of the 45 clock/contact hours CLD requirement, up to 10 clock hours (equivalent) of relevant work experience can be counted toward this requirement. For work experience, a signed letter from the relevant supervisory verifying the work experience must be submitted along with the matrix.
    • Relevant work experience is defined as implementing one or more of the standards as part of one's teaching assignment.
  • Educators who hold an endorsement in CLD, CLD Bilingual, LDE or LDE Bilingual are deemed to have already met this requirement.

I don't have any of the relevant PD completed yet...

I am currently enrolled in a teacher prep program or have recently graduated...

  • Teachers will have the option to complete training through an educator preparation program to meet their English Learner Professional Development requirement.
  • Upon completion of an educator preparation program that has been verified by CDE to meet the new standards, the educator will receive an Approved Program Verification (APV) form denoting that the educator has satisfied the new requirements.

Once you are ready to submit paperwork for your designation, visit the Add a Designation checklist to ensure you have the necessary documentation and then login to the COOL Licensing System to submit.


Future Educators

Since adoption of the new rules in June of 2018, educator preparation programs have been in the process of demonstrating to CDE they have incorporated 90 clock hours of course work/practicum that address these new standards. Future graduates will receive an Approved Program Verification (APV) form from their educator preparation program indicating they met the new English Learner Professional Development requirement.


Waivers

A waiver from the requirements will be made available for educators teaching in districts or charter schools authorized by the Charter School Institute (CSI) with an average English learner population over a three year period of 2 percent or less. The waiver can be requested by the district superintendent or principal of a CSI authorized charter school on behalf of individual teachers seeking license renewal. More detailed information will be made available regarding the waiver process in the spring of 2025.