What is the Colorado ELL requirement for license renewal?

Colorado requires certain teachers to complete 45 clock/contact hours (or 3 semester hours) of professional development in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Education as part of their professional license renewal.

This is a one-time requirement — you complete it once during the term of your license, not every renewal cycle. Once done, a designation is added to your certificate.

These 45 hours also count toward the 90 contact hours required for general license renewal — so they're doing double duty.

Who has to complete the 45-hour ELL requirement?

This requirement applies to teachers renewing a professional license with any of the following endorsements — regardless of what subject you're currently teaching:

• Elementary education
• English / English language arts
• Math (middle or secondary)
• Science
• Social studies
• Middle-level endorsement (formerly issued)

Effective September 1, 2025, this requirement applies to all educators in the above categories renewing a professional teacher license on or after that date.

What is the Colorado ELL alignment matrix — and do I need to fill one out?

The ELL alignment matrix is a CDE form used to document how your professional development meets the four ELL quality standards and their elements. You fill it in by listing your course, total hours, and how those hours map to each required element.

You need to submit either:

• A certificate of completion from a CDE-approved program, OR
• A completed alignment matrix showing how your coursework addresses each required element

If your course comes from a CDE-approved provider, you may not need the matrix at all — just the certificate. If your course is not from an approved provider, the matrix is how you document eligibility.

What are the four ELL quality standards I need to cover?

The CDE requires your 45 hours to address all four quality standards and their elements. All elements must be covered — there's no minimum hours per element, but every element must show a numerical hour count.

• Standard I: Knowledge of CLD populations — including theories, research, culture, equity, and progress monitoring
• Standard II: First and second language acquisition — strategies, materials, and research
• Standard III: Literacy development for CLD students — theories, strategies, and materials
• Standard IV: Teaching strategies for CLD students — methods, materials, assessment, and progress monitoring

Note: 3 semester hours = 45 clock hours. If submitting a graduate-level course, you convert semester hours to clock hours and distribute them across the elements on the matrix.

Does an FTBT course satisfy the Colorado 45-hour ELL requirement?

Yes. FTBT offers two ELL-aligned courses, both covering all four CLD quality standards and their elements. Each course has its own pre-filled alignment matrix — already completed with course details and element-by-element hour breakdowns. If CDE asks you to submit the matrix during renewal, download the one for your course, review it, and upload it to your COOL account. Most teachers complete this step in a few minutes.

Option 1: Cultivating Cultural Responsiveness and Effective Sheltered Instruction
Available via CSU Pueblo (pass/fail) or UMass Global (letter grade)
Download alignment matrix (PDF)  |  Word version

Option 2: Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching: Theory, Evidence, and Practice
Available via UMass Global (letter grade)
Download alignment matrix (PDF)  |  Word version

What is the Colorado Special Education and Behavioral Health requirement?

Colorado requires all professional license holders — teachers, special services providers, principals, and administrators — to complete a minimum of 10 contact hours of professional learning in Special Education and Behavioral Health.

This is an ongoing requirement — required every 7-year renewal cycle, not just once. It applies to all professional licenses expiring on or after June 30, 2025.

The 10 hours must include at least 1 hour in each area:

• Behavioral health training that is culturally responsive and trauma- and evidence-informed
• Increasing awareness of laws and practices pertaining to educating students with disabilities, including Child Find and inclusive learning environments

Do I need to fill out an alignment matrix for the Special Ed / Behavioral Health requirement?

No. Unlike the ELL requirement, there is no matrix or alignment form required for the Special Education and Behavioral Health hours. You simply need to complete qualifying professional development that covers both areas and be able to document your hours — typically with a certificate of completion.

This makes the Special Ed / Behavioral Health requirement significantly simpler to document than the ELL requirement.

Does an FTBT course satisfy the Colorado 10-hour Special Ed and Behavioral Health requirement?

Yes. FTBT's course Beyond the Surface: Supporting Students with Anxiety is designed to meet the 10-hour Special Education and Behavioral Health requirement, covering both required areas: behavioral health and student disability awareness.

It's available through:

• CSU Pueblo — pass/fail transcript
• UMass Global — letter grade transcript

Upon course completion, FTBT provides a certificate of completion you can use to document your hours during renewal.

Can I use FTBT courses to cover both Colorado renewal requirements at once?

Yes. FTBT offers courses that cover both Colorado renewal requirements:

• 45-hour ELL requirement — one ELL-aligned course (3 graduate credits / 45 contact hours)
• 10-hour Special Ed / Behavioral Health requirement — Beyond the Surface: Supporting Students with Anxiety

Together, these two courses address both mandatory renewal requirements. Both count toward the 90 contact hours required for general professional license renewal.

Both courses are 100% self-paced and online. No live meetings, no busywork. Graduate credit options available through CSU Pueblo (pass/fail) or UMass Global (letter grade).

How do I submit my completed hours during Colorado license renewal?

Colorado teachers renew their license through their COOL account (Colorado Online Licensing) at the CDE website. During the renewal application, you'll be asked to document your PD hours.

For the ELL requirement: upload your certificate of completion or the completed alignment matrix. If you use an FTBT course, we provide the pre-filled matrix — just download, review, and upload.

For the Special Ed / Behavioral Health requirement: upload your certificate of completion showing the hours and content areas covered.

Questions about the renewal process itself can be directed to CDE Licensing at CDELicensing@cde.state.co.us or 303-866-6628.