English Learner Professional Development requirement for license renewal
All educators holding an elementary, English language arts, math, science, or social studies (or any middle-level) endorsement on a professional teacher license that expires on or after Sept. 1, 2025, must complete English Learner Professional Development (ELPD) before renewing their license or they will be unable to renew until they have done so.
The state board adopted the ELPD training requirement for these endorsement areas in 2018, allowing teachers to complete the training until their next full renewal period. Anyone who holds an ELPD designation on their credential already meets this requirement.
Important note: This requirement is based solely on the endorsement(s) held; it is not based on the content area an educator is presently teaching or if they are teaching at all. (For example, a teacher who also holds both a science and a music endorsement will be required to complete ELPD even if only teaching music.) Individuals serving in other positions (such as a principal, for example) or not presently employed in education and who wish to renew their teacher license with one of the identified endorsements still must meet this requirement.
The ELPD designation requires 45 hours of training focused on the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse learners. Educators may fulfill the requirement via a pre-approved program or individual learning aligned with ELPD standards. District leaders with COOL access can download a report of their educators who have attained the designation.
More details for educators needing to complete the ELPD requirement can be found on the ELPD for Educators webpage. Email educator_development@cde.state.co.us with questions.