Overview of Colorado Testing Requirements
For initial licensure in Colorado, all candidates must:
- hold an earned bachelor's or higher degree from an accepted institution of higher education
- complete an approved teacher preparation program at an accepted institution of higher education
- demonstrate the subject matter knowledge necessary for teaching in the endorsement area for:
- elementary education teachers (grades K–6), including special education generalists (ages 5–21), by passage of a Colorado State Board of Education-approved elementary content test
- secondary teachers (grades 7–12) and teachers of all K–12 and PreK–12 endorsement areas for ages Birth–8 by:
- holding an earned bachelor's or higher degree in the endorsement area; or
- passage of the Colorado State Board of Education-approved assessment of content area knowledge relevant to the person's area of endorsement; or
- twenty-four semester hours of specific coursework as demonstrated through transcript evaluation in the endorsement area
- submit the appropriate application forms and fees
For information regarding requirements for specific licenses or endorsements, please visit the Colorado Department of Education's Endorsement Requirements page.
- If you test in Colorado at a test center or at home, and your Praxis profile address is in Colorado, your score report will be sent automatically to the Colorado State Department of Education.
- If you test outside Colorado or your Praxis profile address is not in Colorado, your scores are NOT automatically sent to the Colorado State Department of Education. To have your scores sent to the Colorado State Department of Education, you must select the Colorado State Department of Education (state code 7040) as a score recipient when you register.
- For all methods of Praxis testing, to request additional score reports you must select the Colorado State Department of Education (state code 7040) with each additional score report request.
This test will be used as an option to satisfy the requirements pursuant to the Colorado READ Act for current Kindergarten through third-grade teachers in Colorado.
Teachers choosing this testing option must select the Colorado READ Act: In-Service (code 7041) as your attending institution and as a score recipient when you register or request an additional score report request.
View the Colorado Department of Education's Frequently Asked Questions to find answers to your licensing questions.
See also links to other Praxis web pages and resources
For more information about educator requirements in Colorado:
- Colorado Certification website
Other Programs used in Colorado
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