ALTERNATIVE TEACHER LICENSE PROGRAM ALTERNATIVE TEACHER LICENSE PROGRAM Presented by Joy Yudnich, Mountain BOCES

ALTERNATIVE TEACHER Program Goals The goals of this program include: 1.Developing a talent pool to supplement current teaching staff 2.Developing outstanding professionals to provide our students with enriching education based on practical life skills, as well as curriculum objectives

ALTERNATIVE TEACHER 1.Purpose To provide member school districts with the opportunity of securing well qualified personnel to teach and enrich our school systems, the Alternative Teacher Licensing Program offers: Opportunities to develop capable professionals within our own system to ensure the ongoing vision and missions of our member districts Equal opportunity for qualified minority participants The ability to develop teaching staff in hard-to-recruit teaching areas such as English, Mathematics, and Science.

ALTERNATIVE TEACHER Program Requirements A Statement of Eligibility is required from the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). To be approved for a Statement of Eligibility, candidates must: 1. Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education. 2. Complete the necessary subject knowledge required for teaching in the endorsement/teaching area (30 semester hours in the content area). An institution of higher education or CDE will review the transcript/portfolio to determine satisfaction of this requirement. 3. Complete the appropriate content Program for Licensing Assessments for Colorado Educators (PLACE) or (PRAXIS) assessment.

Alternative Teacher The endorsement areas that can be earned through the Alternative Programs are: Early Childhood Education (Ages: Birth-8) *Early Childhood Education (Ages: Birth-8) Elementary Education (Grades: K-6) *Elementary Education (Grades: K-6) Special Education Generalist (Ages: 5-21) * Western State OnlySpecial Education Generalist (Ages: 5-21) K-12 Endorsements: Art Drama Foreign Language(s) Health Instructional Technology (Computers) **Instructional Technology (Computers) Linguistically Diverse Education (formerly ESL) Western State or Pueblo CSU OnlyLinguistically Diverse Education (formerly ESL) Music Physical Education School Librarian Secondary Endorsements: Agriculture & Renewable Natural Resources Business Education Business/Marketing English Family and Consumer Studies Marketing Mathematics Science Social Studies Speech Technology Education (Industrial Arts) * Candidates for Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education and Special Education should have broad liberal arts preparation in the content areas of Science, Social Studies, Math, and English. ** Candidates for Instructional Technology should send very detailed information regarding competencies in programming, networks, Internet programming, operating systems, and other technical knowledge.

ALTERNATIVE TEACHER Steps for Applying to the Alternative Teacher Licensing Program Download the application off the CDE website, enclose transcripts, and send it to CDE.CDE website Take the PLACE exam or PRAXIS in the content area only. This must be passed before entering the program. Both are content area assessment tests. PLACE was designed and developed for Colorado. PRAXIS II is a nationwide test. Recently, Colorado started accepting PRAXIS II, in 5 content areas: Elementary Education (Test 10014), English (Test 10041), Mathematics (Test 10061), Science (Test 10435) and Social Studies (Test 10081).. If you qualify, CDE will send you a Statement of Eligibility. Your Statement of Eligibility will help you find a full-time teaching position.

Alternative Teacher Completing the Alternative Teacher Licensing Program Provide Mountain BOCES with copies of your Statement of Eligibility, your signed contract from the school district stating your salary. Mountain BOCES will initiate the paperwork to get you into the program. A Statement of Assurance will be sent to you and your principal for signatures. Also an Agreement Arrangement form for payment of the required fee($3,200). Send these forms to Joy Yudnich, Human Resources, Mountain BOCES, and she will get signatures and send them to CDE. This needs to be done before you start teaching. The Statement of Assurance needs to be at CDE no later than October 1. After a few weeks, CDE will send you the Alternative Teacher License, which is good September through May. Meet with your Alternative Teacher License Committee to plan a schedule of 225 hours to meet the state standards, you will be contacted by the Mountain BOCES representative to set up this meeting. You will be evaluated two times during the school year by the Mountain BOCES representative. In May, the school principal, mentor teacher, and alternative teacher committee will meet and sign documentation showing that you completed your 225-hour plan and are recommending you for a initial license. The CDE application for Initial License will be sent to alternative teacher to apply. Send this completed application to Joy Yudnich who will get signatures and send this to CDE, and you will receive your initial license sometime in the summer.

ALTERNATIVE TEACHER Contact Information If you have questions, please call Joy Yudnich at or her at

ALTERNATIVE PRINCIPAL For information on the Principal license please Contact Joy You must have a position as a Principal or Vice Principal Joy Yudnich at or