Teachers shall be in one of these classifications for purposes of the Colorado Teacher Employment, Compensation and Dismissal Act according to the terms of their employment:
- Teacher. Teacher means any person who holds a valid initial or professional teacher’s license and who is employed to instruct, direct or supervise an instructional program. “Teacher” does not include persons holding letters of authorization or the superintendent.
- Alternative teacher. A person who is participating in an alternative teacher program provided by a designated agency and who holds an alternative teacher’s license.
- Probationary teacher. A teacher who has not completed three consecutive years of demonstrated effectiveness or a nonprobationary teacher who has had two consecutive years of ineffectiveness, as defined by applicable rules of the State Board of Education.
- Substitute teacher. A teacher who performs services for a district for four hours or more during each regular school day, but works on one continuous assignment for a total of less than 90 regular school days, or for less than one semester or equivalent time as determined by the annual school year calendar of the district. Substitute teacher does not include a nonprobationary or probationary teacher who is assigned as a permanent substitute teacher within a school district.
- Itinerant teacher. An itinerant teacher who is employed by a district on a day to day or similar short-term basis as a replacement teacher for a nonprobationary teacher, a probationary teacher or a part-time teacher who is absent or otherwise unavailable (no limit on the number of days worked). An itinerant teacher is considered a substitute teacher.
- Part-time teacher. A teacher who normally works less than four hours per day.
The Board shall approve all classifications upon the recommendation of the superintendent.
Adopted: Prior to 2018
Revised: January 2018
Revised: September 2020
Revised: August 2025
LEGAL REFS.: 20 U.S.C. 6312 (c)(6) (teacher licensure requirements under Every Student Succeeds Act)
C.R.S. 22-32-109 (1)(f) (Board duty to employ personnel)
C.R.S. 22-32-109.7 (specific board duties regarding personnel)
C.R.S. 22-60.5-111 (types of authorizations, including military spouse interim authorization)
C.R.S. 22-60.5-201 (types of teacher licenses)
C.R.S. 22-60.5-201 (3)(b) (licensure reciprocity for out-of-state applicants)
C.R.S. 22-60.5-207 (alternative teacher contracts)
C.R.S. 22-63-103 (definitions in Teacher Employment, Compensation, and Dismissal Act of 1990)
C.R.S. 22-63-201 (2) (hiring of person who holds an alternative teacher license)
1 CCR 301-87 (State Board of Education rules for administration of a system to evaluate the effectiveness of licensed personnel)
Lake County School District R-1, Leadville, Colorado