If you’re interested in becoming a substitute teacher in Colorado, you’re in the right place. Colorado offers three different substitute teacher licenses, each with different experience and education requirements.
In this blog, we’ll cover the requirements for each of these licenses and the necessary documents you’ll need to submit in your application.
Looking for an in-depth step-by-step guide to becoming a Colorado sub? Check out our guide: How to Become a Substitute Teacher in Colorado.
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While you don’t need a Colorado substitute teacher license to get started teaching, it certainly gives you more options and flexibility with where you want to teach.
Generally, charter and public schools in Colorado require you to have a substitute teaching certification before you start subbing. Some private schools and teaching assistant positions won’t check for it.
Getting certified as a substitute teacher in Colorado is simple. All you need to do is apply online and pass a background check. Most of our subs have received their authorizations within 1-2 weeks of submitting their application.
As long as you have 48+ hours of college credit, we can place you in a classroom without a substitute teacher authorization. Just note that you may not be able to work at schools that require certified subs.
If you don’t have enough college credit, you must obtain a one-year substitute authorization. If you have enough credits, we still recommend that you apply to get certified because it gives you more placement opportunities.
The Colorado substitute teacher license is also known as an authorization. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) issues three types of substitute authorizations – the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year – depending on your educational background and experience.
The substitute authorization allows you to work as a substitute teacher in any Colorado public school district, BOXES, charter school, or CDE-approved facility school for grades K-12.
Here’s a comparison of each authorization type:
The 1-year authorization allows you to be a substitute teacher for a year and is perfect for those who don’t have a bachelor’s degree or are just interested in teaching for a short time.
The 3-year authorization allows you to substitute teach in Colorado for three years and is ideal for recent college grads and career changers.
The 5-year authorization allows you to substitute teach for five years. It’s ideal for people who already have full-time teaching experience and are now interested in subbing.
You’ll also need to submit these documents for your online application regardless of your type of Colorado substitute teacher license:
Once you’ve gathered all necessary documents, log onto COOL (Colorado Online Licensing) to create your licensure account.
Your COOL account is where you will virtually apply for your authorization by submitting the required documents for approval. It will include the status of your application and background check.
To get your fingerprint-based background check, schedule a fingerprinting appointment with one of these approved vendors:
After your appointment, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will forward the submitted fingerprints to the FBI. Do NOT mail fingerprint submissions to the CDE or the CBI. They will be destroyed for security purposes.
You have 30 days from the time the CDE receives your background check to submit a complete authorization application. If you do not submit a completed application within these 30 days, you will need to submit another set of fingerprints.
If you’re opting to become a substitute with Scoot, you’ll do a background check via IdentoGo. We’ll reimburse you up to $55 for the fingerprinting fee on your first paycheck – just remember to keep your receipt!
If you’re interested in subbing, apply to Scoot Education! We’re a substitute educator staffing company dedicated to creating exceptional experiences in education.
As a Scoot sub, you’ll get ultimate flexibility in your work schedule, 1-on-1 support through a personal Education Consultant, and market leading pay.