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Secondary Credentialing FAQ
As secondary credentialing move from CCCS to CDE several questions have come in from teachers and administrators about the change. Below your questions are addressed.
Current Credentialing Questions | ||
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| Q: | Who needs a license and CTE endorsement/credential? | |
| A: | A CDE license or authorization is required to teach in Colorado. To teach in an approved CTE program and seek reimbursement through Colorado Career and Technical Act funds an instructor must have a CTE endorsement/credential. | |
| Q: | There seems to be new language for credentials now that they are going to CDE; what do I need to know? | |
| A: | What CCCS called your credential is now going to be referred to as a CTE endorsement at CDE. The two words credential and endorsement are used interchangeably. | |
| Q: | Do you have to have extra classes (hours) for each endorsement when you renew if you have a license and a CTE endorsement/credential? |
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| A: | At the professional level, both the license and endorsement require 6 semester hours total. There is one fee that will cover the endorsement and the license. The 6 hours applies to all credit and must relate to one area. | |
| Q: | Is there an exceptions process? | |
| A: | Yes – through the Board Designated Oversight Committee (BDOC) at CCCS if needed. Exceptions requests will be submitted to CDE after a CTE endorsement/credential application is denied and CDE will forward materials to the BDOC. | |
| Q: | How do I submit a request to the Exceptions Committee? | |
| A: | Individuals do not submit requests. CDE will send a request for appeals to the Board Designated Oversight Committee (BDOC) as appropriate. | |
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| Q: | Does the course content have to be taken at a Post-Secondary Institution or can a school district offer professional development with the same content? | |
| A: | School district modules created for in-service credit are acceptable renewal credit if the credit pertains to one or more of the applicant’s CTE credential/endorsement areas. Modules created to meet the EDCT 300 and 400 courses must be submitted to the BDOC for prior approval. | |
| Q: | Does the CTE Director’s endorsement/credential “link” with the Principal’s license, much like the teachers license is “linked” with the CTE endorsement area? | |
| A: | Yes - A professional CTE Director’s credential links to a professional principal’s license. If you do not have a principal’s license, you will be issued a CTE Authorization with the CTE Director endorsement/credential attached to that authorization. | |
| Q: | What happens if an individual has a CTE Directors’ Credential but they do not currently hold an Administrator’s License? | |
| A: | The individual will be issued a CTE authorization and it will be endorsed with their CTE Director’s credential. | |
| Q: | What evidence do I need to submit to document my experiences for renewal? | |
| A: | There are two areas that can count toward your learning experiences necessary for renewal: transcripted credit and professional development (15 hours = 1 credit).
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| Q: | If you own a business (welding, machinist) what type of credentials do you need if you are certified but do not hold a degree? | |
| A: | A CTE Authorization and Endorsement and the certificate required by occupation. | |
| Q: | Does the initial credential (initial CDE secondary authorization) still require completion of: CTE philosophy, Organization and Management, Student Organizations/Leadership, etc? | |
| A: | Yes – Please refer to evaluations worksheets available online at http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/cte_generalinfo.htm#10 and/or http://www.coloradostateplan.com/criteria_second.htm for specific requirements | |
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| Q: | Are the CTE program philosophy, organization and management, student organizations/leadership development; included in the 24 semester hours of educational requirements or are they extra classes to be taken? | |
| A: | No – it is 24 hours PLUS the 2 classes. Please refer to evaluations worksheets available online at http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/cte_generalinfo.htm#10 and/or http://www.coloradostateplan.com/criteria_second.htm for specific requirements | |
| Q: | Can an individual be granted a one year grace period to complete required course work? | |
| A: | No. Individuals with an initial credential (CTE authorization) have three years to complete their course requirements. If course requirements have not been completed at the end of three years the credential will expire and once the coursework has been completed an individual can apply to reinstate the expired credential. | |
| Q: | Who is responsible for Credentialing of contracted secondary program teachers, the contractor or the local school district? | |
| A: | It is the school district’s responsibility to verify that the contracted program offered by the hosting institution is a CCCS approved [CTE] program being taught by credentialed instructors. |
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| Q: | If a teacher renews a CTE Credential between February 2009 and June 30, 2009 and their teaching license expires in 2010, 2011, etc.., what will be the new renewal date for their license/Credential? | |
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| Q: | What are the specific course requirements for an initial credential? | |
| A: | Education and work experience requirements differ depending on the credential pathway being sought. After an evaluation of your qualifications is completed, CDE will assign the courses needed for a professional license/credential. Please refer to evaluations worksheets available online at http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/cte_generalinfo.htm#10 and/or http://www.coloradostateplan.com/criteria_second.htm for specific requirements | |
| Q: | How does the teacher authorization program work with this new credentialing process? | |
| A: | The authorization program is not changing. The TAP program isn’t changing and the evaluation process will be the same for renewal of credentials. | |
| Q: | How else can I get the content for TAP if I don’t go to CSU? | |
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| Q: | Will CSU be the only school to provide the TAP program? | |
| A: | Currently CSU is the only institution that offers the TAP program. Other institutions are in the process of planning similar programs that will meet these requirements and this information will be posted on this site once it is approved and available. | |
| Q: | How soon will the license/credential be available to view on-line? | |
| A: | Your license status can be viewed online now at https://forms.cde.state.co.us/pes/DOBSearch.jsp. | |
| Q: | How soon will the on-line application be available? | |
| A: | The online application will be available as soon as possible. For now, you can download the forms and mail in the application to CDE and make payment online. | |
| Q: | Do new teachers still need to apply for their credential before October 31? | |
| A: | Yes and your credential will be valid from July 1 of that same year. If a teacher does not have an issue date on their credential of October 31st or earlier then the district will have to prorate that instructor’s costs and FTE for the CTA report during that fiscal year. | |
| Q: | What will be the timeline to apply for either a renewal or initial credential? | |
| A: | You can move from an initial to a professional credential as soon as your initial credential requirements are met. A professional credential can be renewed up to 6 months before it expires. | |
| Q; | What do I need to do to renew if I already have a license and a credential? | |
| A: | You will need to complete your renewal of a professional license application at the CDE website. Be sure to indicate on the application that you have a valid CTE credential. | |
| Q: | Will work experience be used as evidence of expertise or substituted for a degree? | |
| A: | Work experience would never be substituted for a degree if a degree is required. Please refer to evaluations worksheets available online at http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/cte_generalinfo.htm#10 and/or http://www.coloradostateplan.com/criteria_second.htm for specific requirements | |
| Q: | What if I have an endorsement/credential in an area that I am not currently teaching in? | |
| A: | Your credential will remain active as long as you continue to meet the renewal requirements necessary for that credential. | |
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| Q: | What will need to be done if a community college contracts with a high school to offer classes for both secondary and postsecondary students? Will the instructor need a Credential/License at both levels? | |
| A: | Post-secondary institutions can honor a credential issued by CDE in the appropriate pathway area. Instructors who teach at both secondary and postsecondary courses do need to hold a credential at both the secondary and postsecondary level. | |
| Q: | What about a current teacher who let their CTE Credential lapse and needs to renew for CTA reimbursement, they’ve been teaching in a CTE area, but not working outside of the school, can they renew? | |
| A: | To renew a lapsed credential you must complete the requirements listed on that credential. If the credential has been expired for more than two years in addition to the requirements listed on the credential, 1000 hours of relevant occupational experience must be completed. For instructors who have been teaching for the past 7years or more who let their CTE credential lapse, 3 school years of full time instructional experience in the credentialing area could be substituted for the 1000 hours of relevant occupational experience that is required to renew a lapsed credential. Full time teaching is defined as full time employment as an instructor who has over half of their instructional load devoted to the credential content area. | |
| Q: | Can work experience be used to renew a professional credential instead of 6 hours of coursework? | |
| A: | No – to renew a professional secondary credential either 6 semester hours of related college level coursework or professional development training (15 hours of seminar time = 1 semester hour) need to be submitted. Work experience cannot be used to meet the renewal requirement. | |
| Q: | What do I need to do if I have inactivated my teaching license with CDE if I want to teach a CTE class in a secondary school? | |
| A: | To teach in an approved CTE program and seek reimbursement through the Colorado Career and Technical Act funds an instructor must have a valid CTE endorsement/credential. That CTE endorsement can be added to a valid CDE teaching license after 7-1-09. In order to hold a valid CTE endorsement/credential you must activate your CDE teaching license prior to teaching in an approved CTE program. A teacher may return a professional teaching license to active status at any time by notifying the Colorado Department of Education, in writing, requesting the activation of his or her professional license. Please indicate in your letter that you hold a CTE credential. |
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| Q: | What happens if my credential expires before my license, or if my license expires before my credential? | |
| A: | A professional license and a professional credential are linked together and the old credential expiration date for a person who holds both a professional license and a professional credential is now the license expiration date.
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| Q: | If a teacher lets their CTE endorsement lapse for more than two years, they need 1,000 hours of occupational experience in the credential area or full time teaching experience in the content area for the past three years. How is full time teaching experience defined? | |
| A: | Full time teaching experience in the content area means that an instructor has had full-time employment as an instructor in that area as measured by over half of their instructional load being devoted to the credential content area. | |
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