Special Services License Requirements

Special Services (also commonly referred to as related services) professionals provide essential services to students to enhance their educational experiences. Whether you have completed your preparation or are still working toward completion, this page is for you. General requirements follow; refer to "Special Services Endorsements" below for specific requirements for a full license in each endorsement area.

Still Completing a Program?

Temporary Educator Eligibility (TEE) (1 year)

• for special education and special services areas only;
• district-specific;
• bachelor’s or higher degree (in any area) from a regionally accredited college/university(in any area);
• enrollment in an approved preparation program for one of the specialty areas (endorsements) below
• may be renewed up to twice with ongoing progress toward meeting full licensure requirements

Special Services Intern (1 year)

• district-specific; and
• active enrollment in a special services provider program which requires completion of an internship
• may not be renewed

Have Completed a Program?

Initial Special Services License (3 years)

• hold degree required for specialty (see below)
  • Educational diagnosticians and Board Certified Behavior Analysts: see adjunct authorization

  Advance an Initial Special Services License to a Professional License

  • valid initial special services license
  • certification of completion of approved special services induction program

  Renew a Professional Special Services License (7 years)

  • 90 contact hours (six (6) semester hours) of applicable professional development activities
    • valid license-holders: applicable activities must have been completed within the seven years of your active license
    • expired license-holders and those whose hold reactivated licenses: applicable activities must have bee completed within the seven years immediately preceding the submission date of your renewal application

    Special Services Endorsements

    School Audiologist (ages 0-21)

    • AuD or PhD in audiology
    • Completion of an approved program from a regionally accredited institution in audiology
    • Practicum or internship in a school setting, equivalent to a minimum of 8 weeks, full time (320 hours) under the supervision of a professionally licensed or master's level licensed audiologist
    • PRAXIS 5343 (162) [PRAXIS 5342 (170) also accepted if taken before 08.31.2021; accepted through 08.31.2026]

    School Counselor (PreK-12)

    • Master's or higher degree in School Counseling as defined by accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling for Related Educational Programs (view information about CACREP Accreditation)
      • Don't hold a master's degree from a CACREP-accredited program? Contact CCE-Global to request an evaluation for equivalency.

      School Nurse (ages 0-21)

      • Associate's or higher degree in nursing
      • A valid RN license to practice in Colorado pursuant to the Nurse Practice Act (12-255-101, et. seq., C.R.S.) or a valid mulit-state license and able to practice in Colorado pursuant to the nurse licensure compact (24-60-3802, C.R.S.)
        • Important Note: Registered nurses must maintain an active DORA license to practice nursing in Colorado in addition to the CDE-issued special services license/school nurse. Those holding multi-state licenses issued by another state must apply for a Colorado DORA-issued RN license within 60 days, as per the Nurse License Compact.

        School Occupational Therapist (ages 0-21)

        • Bachelor’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution
        • Completion of an American Occupational Therapy Association-accredited college or university program in occupational therapy
        • Completion of a practicum or internship as required by the school of occupational therapy attended, which may be held in a variety of settings
        • A valid license to practice in Colorado pursuant to the Occupational Therapy Practice Act (12-270-107, C.R.S.) or a valid license issued by another state and able to practice in Colorado pursuant to the occupational therapy compact (24-60-4101, C.R.S.)
        • NBCOT exam

        School Orientation and Mobility Specialist (ages 0-21)

        • Bachelor’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution
        • Completion of an approved preparation program from a regionally accredited institution for school orientation and mobility specialists
        • Completion of practicum or internship, which must be in a school setting and equivalent to a minimum of 320 hours, full time, under the supervision of an Academy of Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) licensed orientation and mobility specialist.
        • Passage of the ACVREP exam
        • Valid ACVREP Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist certification

        Valid ACVREP Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist certification and verification of the 320-hour practicum detailed above satisfies these requirements.

        School Physical Therapist (ages 0-21)

        • Bachelor’s or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution
        • Completion of American Physical Therapy Association’s Commission on the Accreditation of Physical Therapy Education-accredited physical therapy program
        • Completion of practicum or internship, as required by the physical therapy program attended
        • A valid license to practice in Colorado pursuant to the Physical Therapy Practice Act (12-285-101, et.seq., C.R.S.) or a valid license issued by another state and able to practice in Colorado pursuant to the physical therapy compact (24-60-3702, C.R.S.)

        School Psychologist (ages 0-21)

        • Successful completion of an approved specialist-level program from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum of 60 graduate-level semester hours or an approved doctoral program for the preparation of school psychologists, serving children/students ages birth-21, at an accepted institution of higher education
        • Successful completion of practicum consisting of a sequence of closely supervised on-campus or field-based activities, designed to develop and evaluate a candidate’s mastery of distinct professional skills, consistent with program and/or course goals
        • Successful completion of internship consisting of a full-time experience over one year, or half-time over two years with a minimum of 1,200 clock hours, of which 600 must be in a school setting
        • The internship may include, beyond the 600 hours in the school setting, other acceptable internship experiences, including in private or state-approved educational programs or in other appropriate mental health or education-related programs.
        • PRAXIS 5403 (155) [PRAXIS 5402 (147) also accepted if taken before 08.31.2023; accepted thru 08.31.2028]

        School Social Worker (ages 0-21)

        • Master’s or higher degree in social work from a regionally accredited institution
        • Documented evidence of completion of coursework in the areas of school and special education law, including content covering functional behavior assessment and the development of behavior intervention plans.
          • Out-of-state applicants: Please review this addendum to find out how you complete this coursework if you haven't already done so.

          Valid Certified School Social Work Specialist certification (C-SSWS) OR valid Colorado DORA-issued LSW or LCSW license and verification of the coursework requirement detailed above satisfies these requirements.

          School Speech-Language Pathologist (ages 0-21)

          • Master’s or higher degree in communication disorders or speech-language pathology from a regionally accredited institution
          • Completion of an approved speech-language pathology program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) in audiology and speech-language pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
          • Practicum or internship, with children and students ages birth-21 in a school setting, equivalent to 8 weeks, full time under the supervision of a professionally licensed SLP
          • PRAXIS 5331 (162) or valid ASHA CCC-SLP certification

          Valid ASHA CCC-SLP certification and verification of the 8-week practicum detailed above OR valid Colorado DORA-issued Speech-Language Pathologist license (or SLP issued by a compact state) and verification of the 8-week practicum detailed above satisfies these requirements.

          Enhancements

          Add an Endorsement

          • valid Colorado initial or professional license;
          • requirements vary by endorsement (see above)