Teaching Math in Colorado

Teachers may be drawn to Colorado for its majestic mountains and breathtaking scenery, as well as the diverse teaching opportunities available. Within the state of Colorado, teachers can find well-funded and successful suburban districts, developing rural districts and innovative urban districts, such as Denver. With reported teacher shortages in mathematics, Colorado is aware of the need for high-quality teachers. To this end, they offer several alternative certification pathways for qualified professionals who wish to begin teaching immediately. Teachers will also find several opportunities to innovate in their classroom through myriad technology grants available to teachers.

While teaching salaries in Colorado are slightly lower than the national average, there are several other benefits to teaching in Colorado. The state is reform-friendly and open to innovations in education. Educators here have a unique opportunity to be on the frontier of education reform. Such reform efforts include increasing the autonomy of school leaders and implementing merit-based pay for teachers. These efforts have paid off – Denver’s schools are constantly improving and serve as a model for the rest of the country.

Math Teacher Certification in Colorado

Math Teaching Qualifications

Colorado requires certified teachers to complete an undergraduate degree and an accredited certification program. Unlike most states, Colorado does not have a Basic Skills requirement for teachers.

Credentials & Exams

• Colorado offers two tiers of teaching licenses. The first is the Initial License, which is for beginning teachers and is valid for three years. The second is the Professional License, which is issued to teachers who have completed a Teacher Induction program.
• Subject area competency tests are required. This requirement can be met by either the Program for Licensing Assessments for Colorado Exam (PLACE) or the Praxis II: Subject Test.

Alternative Certification for Math Teachers

Colorado offers several alternative routes to certification:

• The first is the Alternative Teacher Licensing Program. This program is available to those with a bachelor’s degree and 24 semester hours of relevant coursework. Once applicants have obtained a Statement of Eligibility for the program, they may seek employment. Once employment is obtained, the candidate can enroll in either a one-year or two-year Alternative Teacher Licensing Program.
• The second is the Teacher in Residence Program. This is a two-year alternative certification program which allows applicants to work full-time while receiving mentoring and a teacher preparation curriculum.
• A third option is the Troops to Teachers program, available to veterans interested in pursuing a teaching career.
• A fourth option is the Sojourn Certificated Employee Credential, a program for non-native English speakers who wish to teach foreign language and ESL classes. Candidates do not need a bachelor’s degree, but they need to have completed at least 90 semester credits of college-level work; they’re also required to complete at least six semester credits per year toward a bachelor’s degree.