Alternative Licensure Program
DCSD Alternative Licensure Program
Looking to become a licensed teacher in Colorado while already working in the classroom? The Douglas County School District (DCSD) Alternative Licensure Program offers a unique, supportive pathway to earn your professional teaching license—all while teaching full time.
This is a free, two-year, CDE-approved program for individuals hired into a certified teaching position (full-time or just over part-time) within DCSD. Once hired, candidates can apply for the Alternative Licensure Teacher Program, which begins with 4 full days of training in July and continues with one evening seminar per month throughout the school year. We offer both general education and special education pathways. Our program proudly welcomes educators from all walks of life— education assistants, business professionals, finance experts, art gallery owners, and more, each bringing a wealth of real-world experience and unique perspectives to their classrooms.
What Makes Our Program Exceptional?
DCSD’s Alternative Licensure Program is built around wraparound support from a dedicated team of professionals. Our goal is not just to help you meet licensure requirements, but to help you thrive as an educator.
Content-alike Mentor
- You’ll be paired with an experienced mentor who teaches a similar subject or grade level. Mentors help with instructional strategies, classroom management, planning, and the everyday ins and outs of teaching.
District Coach
- Your district coach will provide classroom observations, targeted feedback, and one-on-one coaching based on the Colorado Teacher Quality Standards and Marzano’s research-based instructional strategies.
Professional Learning Specialist (PLS)
- PLSs work in your building to offer ongoing coaching and guidance, supporting your growth in instructional practices and helping you navigate your first years in education.
Evaluator/Administrator
- Your building administrator offers another layer of support and guidance, helping you align your practice with building-level goals and the evaluation rubric.
Host classroom/learning labs
- Participants have the opportunity to observe highly effective teachers across the district. These structured observation days allow alternative licensure teachers to see best practices in action, learn new strategies, and reflect on their own teaching through guided debriefs and coaching conversations.
Licensure + Induction in One Program
DCSD is proud to offer something unique: our Alternative Licensure Program also begins Induction from day one. This means that at the end of your two-year journey, assuming all program requirements are met, you’ll be eligible to apply for a Professional Teaching License.
Seminars
Participants receive:
- 4 full days of training/seminar in July to prepare for teaching.
- Monthly evening seminars (4:30–8:00 p.m.) on best practices in education, including topics like: Lesson planning and delivery, classroom management, literacy interventions, mathematical reasoning, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), common formative assessments, Restorative practices, etc.
- Instruction from content experts and leaders within DCSD’s Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment department. We believe in growing our own—our instructors are passionate educators and district leaders who understand what it means to teach in DCSD.
- 90 hours of CDE-mandated English Language Development (ELD) instruction integrated across the two years. 45 hours of a mandatory online course are completed asynchronously during the summer of Year 2. Hands-on activities as assigned as homework to meet some of these hours.
How Do I Apply?
If you have never held a teaching license before in Colorado or any other state and have a bachelor’s degree, you qualify! The first step is to secure a certified K–12 teaching position within DCSD. Once your principal confirms that you’ve accepted the role, we can move forward with the next steps in the Alternative Licensure Program, pending available space. Please note that spots are limited, so placement in the program is subject to current availability.
The DCSD Alternative Licensure Program is more than a pathway to a license—it's a two-year professional journey that sets teachers up for long-term success. Through collaboration, coaching, and community, we empower new educators to grow into confident, reflective practitioners who make a lasting impact on students and schools.
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Questions? Contact Us!
Priyanka Graten, General Education Alt Licensure
priyanka.graten@dcsdk12.org
Heather Palmer, General Education Alt Licensure
hpalmer@dcsdk12.org
Amy Allen, Special Education Alt Licensure
amy.allen@dcsdk12.org
Schyler Griffiths, Special Education Alt Licensure
sgriffiths@dcsdk12.org
