CTE For Real

Postsecondary 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. If something has not been covered please email Casey Sacks at casey.sacks@cccs.edu with your question so we can add it to the site.


Current Credentialing Questions

1. Q: Where are postsecondary continuing Education Courses offered?
  A:
Common Course numbering system holds information about courses and where they are being instructed. https://erpdnssb.cccs.edu/PRODCCCS/ccns_pub_controller.p_command_processor pull up the course you are interested in and scroll to the bottom of the competency list to see which colleges are offering the course. Please check specific college course schedules for course time and format.
     
2. Q: Who is a Credentialing Officer?
  A: The individual who issues credentials for their postsecondary institution. See http://www.coloradostateplan.com/cred_officers.htm for a list.
     
3. Q:

What is an initial credential?
  A:

This credential is available to applicants who have not completed all of the content required for a professional credential. This credential will only be issued one (1) time per applicant’s lifetime. The requirements to be completed for a professional credential include, but are not limited to:

  • Principles of Career and Technical Educational including student organization and cooperative career and Technical Education
  • Methods of teaching including evaluation and instructional aids
  • Career and Technical Education administration or administration of cooperative programs or educational administration
  • Integration of academic and Career and Technical education and technical prep methods
     
4. Q: Are there any non-transcripted courses that are allowable substitutions for instructors to move from an initial to a professional credential?
  A:

Any non-transcripted experience that an institution wishes to count toward credentialing course requirements must be evaluated by the Board Designated Oversight Committee (BDOC).  Non-transcripted courses/workshops that have been evaluated and approved are as follows:

  • Substitutions for EDU 222:
    • EMS Instructor Development Course
    • Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence Clinical Scholar Course
    • Police Officer Standardized Training (POST), Train the Trainer course
    • Southern Colorado Clinical Scholar Coalition Curriculum
    • Finishing Trades Institute: Introduction to Teaching Techniques for Adults (40 hours)
    • National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee’s National Training Institute: Principles of Learning (20 hours)
    • National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee’s National Training Institute:  Elements of Trade Teaching (20 hours)
    • United Association University: Fundamentals of Learning and Teaching (20 hours)
    • United Association University: Planning and Teaching Effective Lessons I (20 hours)
    • United Association University: Planning and Presenting Skill Lessons & Related Information (20 hours)
    • United Association University: Problem Solving and Innovations in Trade Teaching (20 hours)
    • National Ironworker and Employers Apprenticeship Training and Journey Upgrading Fund’s Ironworker Qualified Instructor Certificate: Principles of Instruction (10 hours) and Instructional Planning (10 hours)
    • National Center for Construction Education and Research, Instructor Certification Training Program: How Learning Occurs (40 hours)
    • National Center for Construction Education and Research, Instructor Certification Training Program: Communication for Learning (40 hours)
    • National Center for Construction Education and Research, Instructor Certification Training Program: Leadership and Group Dynamics (40 hours)
    • National Center for Construction Education and Research, Instructor Certification Training Program: Administration and Classroom Management (40 hours)
    • National Center for Construction Education and Research, Instructor Certification Training Program: Teaching Strategies (40 hours)
    • National Center for Construction Education and Research, Instructor Certification Training Program: Evaluation Strategies (40 hours)
    • International Training Institute For the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Industry: Instructor Development (64 hours)
  • Substitutions for EDU 260:
    • FRCC Teaching with Purpose workshop
    • ADEA/AAL, Institute for Allied Health Educators both “Teaching Foundations" and "Advances in Educational Methods” must be completed to substitute for EDU 260.

  • Any Colorado community college that offers approved EDU credentialing courses, 222, 266, 250, and 260 may offer a non-credit option for these courses for postsecondary instructors. Instructors at institutions that offer this option will receive a certificate of completion indicating the letter grade earned. Class meeting times, assignments, rigor, and grading criteria will be the same for all students regardless of whether they seek credit or not. All non credit classes will be taught by academically qualified faculty, and in accordance with CCCNS syllabi, course descriptions, and learning objectives.”

     
5. Q: What is the process for getting the BDOC to approve a non-credit course for replacement of a required EDU course?
  A: Submit the course curriculum to your credentialing officer and they will submit that information to CCCS. CCCS acts as the clearing house to submit information to the board. The board will review the curriculum and decide if it is an acceptable substitution.
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6. Q: What is related occupational experience?
  A: Related occupational experience should be related to the functional area where the applicant is trying to attain or renew a credential. This should be experience outside of teaching.
     
7. Q: Who needs a part-time credential?
  A: Applicants having less that 450 student contact hours annually (July 1 to June 30) within Colorado.
     
8. Q: How do I reinstate a credential that expired?
  A: First complete the initial renewal requirements as stated on your expired credential. If the credential has been expired for more than two years, an additional 1,000 hours of occupational experience is required (if an instructor has been teaching full-time in their credential area for the past 7 years, then 3 school years of full-time instructional experience in the credential area can replace the 1,000 hours) . Then, submit an application to your credentialing officer.
     
9. Q: How do I move from a part-time to a full-time credential?
  A: Complete a new application and meet all of the criteria required for a full-time applicant.
     
10. Q: How do I move from a full-time to a part-time credential?
  A: If your full time credential is not expired, request the change from your credentialing officer. If your full time credential is expired then complete a new application for a part time credential in your area.
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11. Q: How do I count work experience and workshops for my renewal credits?
  A: If you have specific course renewal requirements then the course has to be completed, occupational experience would not count. But for full time professional renewal applicants who need 6 semester hours of coursework to renew, 40 hours of paid work experience is equal to 1 credit hour and 15 hours of workshop/seminar time is equal to 1 credit hour for renewal. On your renewal application indicate the number of hours you spent on each activity and be sure to attach appropriate documentation for your credentialing officer.
     
12. Q: Are there any exceptions to the occupational experience requirements for an initial credential?
  A: For a full time initial credential application if a person has been teaching in their credential area for the previous 3+ years full time this can substitute for the recent requirement of the occupational experience hours required. For a part time initial credential applicant if they have been teaching part time for the previous 6+ years in their credential area this can substitute for the recent requirement of the occupational experience hours required. For BOTH of these (full or part time applicants) they will still need to document they have had the required occupational experience at some point in their lives. However the recent teaching experience can allow a credentialing officer the discretion to allow old occupational experience.
     
13. Q: How do I apply for an exception?
  A: Please see the instructions on http://www.coloradostateplan.com/cred_Exceptions_PS.htm
     
14. Q: If someone has an MSN (Masters in Nursing) can they move directly to the Professional credential without the EDU courses and the initial credential?
  A: Yes. If someone has completed a masters degree in nursing and has the required occupational experience they can move directly to a professional Health Science Technology credential at the postsecondary level. Each college still has the discretion to require their own continuing education courses from every faculty member.
     
15. Q: I am not currently working at a postsecondary institution in Colorado, how do I obtain or renew a credential?
  A: Unfortunately, there is no way to apply for or renew a postsecondary credential if you are not working at a postsecondary institution. If you hold a credential and start working at a college again, you can renew a lapsed credential by fulfilling initial renewal requirements and providing documentation of 1,000 hours of current occupational experience. If you are a new applicant, after you are hired by one of the colleges you will work with your college credentialing officer to obtain a credential.
     
16. Q: How can I see if someone holds a secondary credential?
  A:

You can look up secondary credential information online at https://edx.cde.state.co.us/PublicEducatorSearch/DOBSearch.jsp To do this, you will need the individuals social security number and birthday. You are looking for a CTE endorsement on their teaching license. For example, a person with a teaching license in business might also hold a “CTE-business” endorsement on their license. This CTE-business endorsement is a CTE credential in business.

     
17. Q: What are options for an adjunct faculty (part time employee) to receive an initial part-time credential:
  A:

In all cases, there must be at least 2,000 hours of paid, non-teaching experience in the discipline to be taught, and the documentation of paid, non-teaching experience must be verifiable.  Resumes, copies of past work history, and self-approved forms without supporting data are not acceptable. If the applicant cannot meet the criteria in one of the three options described in the application, they must submit an exception request to the Board Designated Oversight Committee.

  1. The applicant can document 4,000 hours of paid, non-teaching occupational experience in the discipline that they will be teaching within the last five or seven years; OR
  2. The applicant can document 2,000 hours of paid, non-teaching occupational experience in the discipline that they will be teaching within the last five or seven years and provide transcripts of an associate, bachelors, or masters degree in the discipline they will be teaching.  For this option, the applicant (with an associates or bachelors degree) will be required to complete and document an additional 2,000 hours of paid, non-teaching experience before the credential can be renewed – no additional hours would be required of an applicant with a masters degree; OR
  3. The applicant can document six plus years of teaching experience in the discipline they will be teaching and provide documentation of 2,000, or 4,000 hours of paid, non-teaching experience (as determined by the degree they hold – same requirements as the full time credential) in the discipline that occurred at some point in their lifetime. 
     
18. Q: Can a college offer EDU coursework and not require faculty to register for the course “for credit”?
  A:

At the postsecondary level, yes. Effective January 2011: Community colleges can chose to allow instructors to complete EDU 250, 260, 222, and 266 without credit with the same grading, criteria, and assignments as the for credit class to meet their credentialing expectations.  http://www.coloradostateplan.com/cred_BDOC.htm
     
19. Q: How do credentialing officers evaluate outside coursework for the EDU content?
  A: Ask the instructor to crosswalk the content. CCCNS is online at https://erpdnssb.cccs.edu/PRODCCCS/ccns_pub_controller.p_command_processor and you can view the course competencies for each required EDU course there. If an instructor has transcripts and can demonstrate (through syllabi and catalogue information) that at least 80% of the competencies needed for the EDU course then the substitution would be allowed.
     
20. Q: If a new applicant has completed the EDU coursework do they still need an initial 3 year credential?
  A: No. If someone has met all of the criteria for the professional credential then the professional (5 year) can be issued immediately.
     
21. Q: How do I know if an instructor needs a secondary or postsecondary credential?
  A: The credential required for an instructor depends on the type of program approval that the school holds. If the instructor is teaching on a secondary program approval, then they need a secondary credential. If they are teaching on a postsecondary program approval, then a postsecondary credential is needed.
     
22. Q: Is a Master’s degree a credentialing requirement?
  A: No. For full time people who have a master’s degree, we do require fewer occupational hours. The master’s degree/18 hour item used to be a  requirement from higher learning commission. It is no longer a requirement.  However, individual colleges have set their own standards for hiring and in many cases that includes 18 hours and/or a masters degree.
     
23. Q: How do I know which faculty should hold a credential?
  A:
  1. People who teach courses listed as “required program courses” on a program approval need to hold a credential in the appropriate area. Which credential is required can be determined by looking online, http://www.coloradostateplan.com/default_cred.htm the first paragraph has a hyperlink to an excel file. Find your program’s CIP code on the list – the credential required is listed here.
  2. Work with the person/people in your school who manage program approvals to assure only CTE courses are actually listed in the program approval.
     
24. Q: What are the options for renewing a credential?
  A:
  1. Outside work experience (40 hours = 1 credit),
  2. Workshop or seminar time (15 hours = 1 credit), or
  3. Coursework in the form of transcripted credit.
  4. Teaching experience cannot be used for renewal
     
25. Q: Where do people go to apply for a secondary credential?
  A:
  1. The Colorado Department of Education. http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/Licensure_CTEApp.asp . If you currently hold an initial secondary  credential you will need to complete the “Converting an initial CTE authorization to a professional CTE Authorization” application. If the credential was issued from CCCS, you may also have to submit fingerprints to CDE. A credential can’t be renewed until CDE has a fingerprint record in their database.
     
26. Q: Is there a place where I can look up what credential is required for each program?
  A: Yes http://www.coloradostateplan.com/default_cred.htm the hyperlink in the first paragraph should be a list of all CIP’s and credentials required for each program.
     
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