Douglas County School District

Language, Culture, and Equity Department

Overview of the 45 Hour ELD Professional Development Requirement

To help better support students in Colorado who are English language learners, the State Board of Education adopted new rules in June 2018 requiring educators with elementary, math, science, social studies and English language arts (and any middle-level) endorsements to complete Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Education training or professional development (PD).

Educators holding these endorsements on a professional license that expires on or after Sept. 1, 2025 must meet this requirement at the time of renewal.


Colorado Department of Education English Learner Professional Development Requirements


“Effective beginning in the 2018-19 school year and every year thereafter, educators endorsed in elementary, math, science, social studies, or English seeking a renewal of their professional license must complete or demonstrate completion of professional development activities equivalent to 45 clock/contact hours or three semester hours in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Education within a full five year renewal period that meets or exceeds the standards outlined in section 5.12-5.15 of 1 CCR 301-37. This requirement must only be completed once during the term of the educator's license. Professional development activities completed to satisfy this requirement may also be counted toward the requirements in section 7.02(1) of 1 CCR 301-37 (45 clock hours of PD for professional license renewal). The 45 hours must be aligned with the following ELD PD Standards, and all elements of each standard must be addressed; however, there is no minimum hour requirement per element.” (CDE, 2018)

Important Acronyms: CLD: Culturally and Linguistically Diverse

ELD: English Language Development

EL: English Learner

ESL: English as a Second Language (programming)

DL: Dual Language (programming)

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education Quality Standards (CDE, 2018)

Professional learning submitted for the 45 hours must be aligned with the following four standards, and all four standards must be experienced by the teacher seeking relicensure credit.

5.09 Quality Standard I: Educators are knowledgeable about CLD populations.

  • 5.09(1) ELEMENT A: Educators are knowledgeable in, understand, and able to apply the major theories, concepts and research related to culture, diversity and equity in order to support academic access and opportunity for CLD student populations.

  • 5.09(2) ELEMENT B: Educators are knowledgeable in, understand, and able to use progress monitoring in conjunction with formative and summative assessments to support student learning.

5.10 Quality Standard II: Educators should be knowledgeable in first and second language acquisition.

  • 5.10(1) ELEMENT A: Educators are able to understand and implement strategies and select materials to aid in English language and content learning.

  • 5.10(2) ELEMENT B: Educators are knowledgeable of, understand, and able to apply the major theories, concepts and research related to culture, diversity and equity in order to support academic access and opportunity for CLD student populations.

5.11 Quality Standard III: Educators should understand literacy development for CLD students.

  • 5.11(1) ELEMENT A: Educators are knowledgeable in, understand, and able to apply the major theories, concepts and research related to literacy development for CLD students

  • 5.11(2) ELEMENT B: Educators understand and implement strategies and select materials to aid in English language and content learning.

5.12 Quality Standard IV: Educators are knowledgeable in the teaching strategies, including methods, materials, and assessment for CLD students.

  • 5.12(1) ELEMENT A: Educators are knowledgeable in, understand and able to use the major theories, concepts and research related to language acquisition and language development for CLD students.

  • 5.12(2) ELEMENT B: Educators are knowledgeable in, understand, and able to use progress monitoring in conjunction with formative and summative assessments to support student learning.