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    How do I choose a licensure area?

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    What are my licensure options?

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    Get the Licensure Guide

How do I choose my area of licensure?

If you already know what subject you want to teach, you can jump to the next section.

Not sure or open to different subjects? Click on the tabs to see how you can maximize your job opportunities.

You’ll have more job opportunities—and make a bigger impact—teaching in a designated shortage subject or geographic area, such as math or teaching in a rural school district. Many schools offer extra pay or signing bonuses for shortage area teachers!

As a shortage area teacher, you may also qualify for generous student loan forgiveness programs and other financial aid.

Which subjects are shortage areas in Colorado?

According to the Colorado Department of Education, these subjects are teacher shortage areas for the 2024–2025 school year (1): 
 

  • Agriculture & Natural Resources
  • Business/Marketing
  • Computer Science
  • Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Education
  • Dance
  • Drama Theater Arts
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Early Childhood Special Education
  • Elementary Education
  • English Language Arts
  • Family & Consumer Sciences
  • Gifted Education
  • Health
  • Math
  • Music
  • Physical Education
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Special Education Generalist
  • Special Education Specialist: Deaf & Hard of Hearing
  • Special Education Specialist: Visually Impairment
  • Technology Education/Industrial Arts
  • Visual Arts
  • World Languages (all subjects)

Not sure what age group you want to teach? That’s okay! You can broaden your options by earning a teaching license that lets you teach all grade levels. In Colorado, these include (2):
 

  • Computer Science
  • Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Education
  • Dance
  • Drama Theater Arts
  • Gifted Education
  • Health
  • Music
  • Physical Education
  • Reading Specialist
  • Special Education
  • Special Education Specialist: Deaf & Hard of Hearing
  • Special Education Specialist: Visually Impaired
  • Teacher Librarian
  • Visual Art
  • World Languages

What can I get licensed to teach?

Once you know the subject and grades you want to teach, you can choose your licensure area. Click the tabs below for a full list of teaching license options.

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Early Childhood EducationAges 0–8✅
Early Childhood Special EducationAges 0–8✅
Elementary EducationK–6✅

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

DanceK–12✅
Drama & Theater ArtsK–12✅
MusicK–12✅
Visual ArtK–12✅

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Adapted Physical Education

(You must have an existing Physical Education license.)

Ages 3–21 
HealthK–12✅
Physical EducationK–12✅

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

English Language Arts7–12✅
Social Studies7–12✅

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Computer ScienceK–12✅
Mathematics: Middle School6–8✅
Mathematics: Secondary7–12✅
Science7–12✅

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Adapted Physical Education

(You must have an existing Physical Education license.)

Ages 3–21 
Early Childhood Special EducationAges 0–8✅

Gifted Education Core

(You must have an existing Colorado teaching license.)

K–12✅

Gifted Education Specialist

(You must have an existing Colorado teaching license.)

K–12✅
Special Education GeneralistAges 5–21✅
Special Education Specialist: Deaf & Hard of HearingAges 0–21✅
Special Education Specialist: Visual ImpairmentAges 0–21✅

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

American Sign LanguageAges 3–21 
FrenchK–12✅
GermanK–12✅
ItalianK–12✅
JapaneseK–12✅
LatinK–12✅
Mandarin ChineseK–12✅
RussianK–12✅
SpanishK–12✅

You can get a teaching license for the following Career & Technical Education (a.k.a. CTE) subjects.

Don't have a degree? You may still be able to teach as a CTE instructor! You can get a CTE authorization in nearly 30 different subjects—such as health sciences, skilled trades, hospitality, media arts and more. Each subject has its own educational and experience requirements. Check out the full list of CTE authorization areas.

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Agriculture & Natural Resources 7–12✅
Business/Marketing7–12✅
Engineering, Technology & Media Arts

7–12

 
Family & Consumer Sciences7–12✅
Health Sciences & Public Safety

7–12

 
Hospitality, Human Services & Education

7–12

 
Skilled Trades & Technical Sciences

7–12

 
Technology Education (Industrial Arts)7–12✅

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Culturally & Linguistically Diverse EducationK–12✅
Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Bilingual EducationK–12✅

Mentor Teacher

(You must have an existing Colorado teaching license.) 

K–12

 

Reading Specialist

(You must have an existing Colorado teaching license.)

K–12 

Teacher Librarian

(You must have an existing Colorado teaching license.)

K–12 

Get the Licensure Guide

An image of the TEACH Colorado Teacher Licensure Guide

Keep a list of licensure areas handy, and get step-by-step details on pathways to teaching and licensure in Colorado.

It’s all free in the TEACH Colorado Licensure Guide!

Get the Guide

What’s next

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Choose the Right Licensure Area

Decide what you want to teach, and choose the teaching license that’s right for you. Read this page and get our free guide to licensure!

Get the GuideLearn About Licensure
A future Colorado teacher in front of a light blue background. Around her are illustrations of a graduation cap, blue ribbon and diploma.

Before you enroll in a teaching program, you’ll need to decide what you want to teach—the subject and age group. These will determine your licensure area.

On this page, we’ll go over your options!

In some cases, you may have multiple teaching licenses to choose from. For example, if you want to teach seventh or eighth grade math, you could earn either a middle school math license OR a secondary math license.

References

  1. Colorado’s Educator Shortage Survey Results. Colorado Department of Education. https://www.cde.state.co.us/educatortalent/edshortage-surveyresults#shortage
  2. Colorado Teacher Endorsement Requirements. Colorado Department of Education. https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/endorsementrequirements