Section 22-60.5-203 - Assessment of professional competencies - multiple measures to assess professional competencies - rules(1) The state board of education shall, by rule, establish areas of knowledge in which initial teacher licensees shall possess a satisfactory level of proficiency.(2) The state board by rule shall identify the professional competencies required of the applicants described in subsection (3) of this section specifically in the context of the requirements of standards-based education pursuant to the requirements of part 10 of article 7 of this title. Such professional competencies apply to an applicant only within the scope of the subject matter to be taught by the applicant.(3)(a) Beginning in the 2023-24 academic year, applicants for initial teacher licenses, and applicants for professional teacher licenses who did not demonstrate professional competencies prior to obtaining an initial teacher license, may demonstrate professional competencies by:(I) Successfully completing an approved content-based or performance-based assessment;(II) Successfully completing an examination by a review panel of an approved portfolio of course work;(III) Submitting evidence of achieving sufficiently high education course work grades on course work aligned with relevant standards; or(IV) A combination of the methods described in subsections (3)(a)(I), (3)(a)(II), and (3)(a)(III) of this section.(b) The review panel may examine a portfolio of course work, as described in subsection (3)(a)(II) of this section, for up to one thousand applicants for initial teacher licenses. The review panel shall not examine a portfolio of course work for more than one thousand applicants for initial teacher licenses.(c) The department, in collaboration with the department of higher education, institutions of higher education, as defined in section 23-3.9-301 (8), the state board for community colleges and occupational education created in section 23-60-104, and school districts, shall recommend to the state board of education standards and procedures necessary to implement the multiple measures of professional competencies set forth in subsection (3)(a) of this section. Recommendations may include a definition of "sufficiently high education course work grades" and the process for a review panel to examine a portfolio of course work. In recommending standards and procedures to the state board of education, the department shall consider feedback from stakeholders in the education community.(d) The department may recommend to the state board of education existing programs, resources, and materials that are available to the department for the implementation of the multiple measures of professional competencies set forth in subsection (3)(a) of this section.(e) The state board of education shall promulgate rules to establish the standards and procedures to measure professional competencies through the multiple measures set forth in subsection (3)(a) of this section.(f) Beginning in January 2025, and in January every year thereafter, the department shall include as part of its "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act" hearing required by section 2-7-203 information concerning: (I) The total number of panelists hired to sit on a review panel to examine portfolios of course work;(II) The total number of hours the review panel reviews educator portfolios;(III) The total number of educator candidates who submit a portfolio of course work for examination by the review panel;(IV) The total number of educator candidates who submit evidence of achieving sufficiently high education course work grades on course work aligned with relevant standards;(V) The total number of educator candidates who complete an approved content-based assessment;(VI) The total number of educator candidates who complete an approved performance-based assessment; and(VII) The total number of educator candidates who demonstrate professional competencies by a combination of the methods described in subsection (3)(a) of this section.(g) The provisions of this subsection (3) do not affect the teacher training requirements specified in section 22-7-1208 (6).(4) The state board of education shall annually review the program for measuring professional competencies developed pursuant to subsection (3)(a) of this section to assure the appropriateness of the assessments and the standards established to determine a satisfactory level of proficiency.(5) The state board of education shall, by rule, establish common credit hour standards for all approved educator preparation programs for the purpose of satisfying subsection (6) of this section.(6) For purposes of establishing minimum competency in a licensure endorsement area, the state board of education shall establish minimum course work standards that align with the quality standards established by the state board of education pursuant to section 22-2-109 (3). Attainment of the minimum course work standards may be shown in one of the following ways: (a) For early childhood education, early childhood special education, and elementary teachers, including special education generalist teachers, demonstration of competencies using the multiple measures set forth in subsection (3)(a) of this section;(b) For secondary teachers: (I) A degree in the endorsement area;(II) Demonstration of competencies using the multiple measures set forth in subsection (3)(a) of this section; or(III) Twenty-four hours of course work in the endorsement area.Amended by 2023 Ch. 334,§ 8, eff. 8/7/2023.Amended by 2022 Ch. 239, § 5, eff. 5/26/2022.Amended by 2015 Ch. 204, § 40, eff. 5/20/2015.L. 91: Entire article added, p. 486, § 1, effective June 6. L. 93: (2)(h) and (2)(i) amended and (2)(j) added, p. 1048, § 8, effective June 3. L. 97: (1) and (3) amended, p. 1662, § 15, effective June 5; (2)(j) amended, p. 461, § 10, effective August 6. L. 98: (1), (2)(a), (2)(b), and (3) amended and (4) added, pp. 993, 990, §§ 17, 10, effective July 1. L. 2000: (2) R&RE, p. 1114, § 1, effective May 26. L. 2005: (1) and (3) amended, p. 180, § 13, effective April 7. L. 2009: (5) and (6) added, (SB 09 -160), ch. 292, p. 1450, § 5, effective May 21. L. 2010: (5) amended, (HB 10 -1422), ch. 419, p. 2079, § 49, effective August 11. L. 2011: (5) amended, (SB 11 -245), ch. 201, p. 849, § 10, effective August 10. L. 2015: (2) amended, (HB 15-1323), ch. 204, p. 727, § 40, effective May 20.2023 Ch. 334, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3). For the legislative declaration in the 2011 act amending subsection (5), see section 1 of chapter 201, Session Laws of Colorado 2011.