Education Requirements

The following are the educational requirements for the various levels of substitute licensure in Colorado.

1-Year Authorization

• You must have a high school diploma or GED to earn a 1-Year Authorization.

3-Year Authorization

• You must have at least a bachelor’s degree in any area of specialization from a regionally accredited college or university to earn a 3-Year Authorization.

5-Year Authorization

• You must hold a valid out-of-state teacher’s license or a valid or expired Colorado Initial or Professional Teaching License to earn a 5-Year Authorization (which means you must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree).

Experience Requirements

The following are the examination requirements for the various levels of substitute licensure in Colorado.

1-Year Authorization

• You must provide evidence of successful experience working with children to each school district in which you apply in order to obtain a 1-Year Authorization.

3-Year Authorization

• No experience is necessary to earn a 3-Year Authorization.

5-Year Authorization

• It is assumed that you have teaching experience if you pursue a 5- Year Authorization, as this will require that you have a teacher’s license from Colorado or another state.

Criminal History Background Check

If you are pursuing substitute teacher authorization, you must first complete the criminal history background check and fingerprinting. This must be completed before you will be accepted into the program. Print this form and take it to your local law enforcement agency. Your completed fingerprint card must be submitted to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), 690 Kipling Street, Suite 3000, Denver, CO 80215. You must also pay a $39.50 processing fee by check, money order or credit card form. If you have any questions, call the CBI at (303) 239-4208 or visit their website.

Additional Information

Not all schools will hire substitutes with just a 1-Year Authorization. Check with the school district in which you are interested in substituting for their specific policy. If you have a 1-Year Authorization, you must submit a separate application for each district in which you wish to work. Applications for all substitute authorizations must be submitted online.

Substitute authorizations are issued without grade level or content specifications. Some schools will allow you to choose the grade levels and/or content areas in which you would like to substitute.

Contact Information

Contact your local public school system or the Colorado Department of Education Educator Licensing Division for more information about substitute teaching.