Colorado Bill: Teacher Licensure for Experienced Out-of-State Teachers

Detected March 17th, 2026

Summary

Colorado SB26-126 proposes to amend teacher licensure requirements by removing the 7-year limit for out-of-state teaching experience. It also mandates interstate reciprocity agreements for states participating in the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact.

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What changed

Colorado Senate Bill 26-126, introduced for the 2026 Regular Session, seeks to modify the requirements for out-of-state teacher licensure. The bill proposes to eliminate the current law's stipulation that an applicant must have at least 3 years of successful teaching experience within the previous 7 years in a state with reciprocity. Instead, it retains the 3-year experience requirement but removes the time-bound constraint. Additionally, the bill mandates the State Board of Education to enter into interstate reciprocity agreements with states adhering to the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact, facilitating the issuance of initial Colorado teacher licenses within 30 days for qualified applicants from compact states, provided they pass a criminal history check and meet other specified criteria.

This legislation, if passed, will streamline the process for experienced out-of-state teachers to obtain licensure in Colorado, potentially increasing the pool of qualified educators. Educational institutions and the Department of Education will need to adapt to the new criteria and establish the required interstate agreements. While the bill is currently in draft status ('Under Consideration'), compliance officers should monitor its progress through the legislative process. No specific compliance deadline is mentioned, as the bill is still under consideration, but its passage would necessitate updates to internal hiring and credentialing policies for educators.

What to do next

Monitor the progress of SB26-126 through the Colorado legislative process.
Review and update internal policies regarding out-of-state teacher licensure requirements if the bill is enacted.
Prepare to implement new interstate reciprocity agreements if Colorado joins the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact.

Source document (simplified)

SB26-126

Licensure for Experienced Out-of-State Teachers

| Type | Bill |
| --- | --- |
| Session | 2026 Regular Session |
| Subjects | Education & School Finance (Pre & K-12) |
Concerning teacher licensure for out-of-state applicants.

Recent Bill (PDF) Recent Fiscal Note (PDF) Bill Summary:

Current law provides that the department of education (department) may issue a professional teacher license to a teacher with at least 3 years of successful experience in teaching within the previous 7 years in another state or country for which the department has granted reciprocity. The bill eliminates the requirement that an applicant have the successful experience in teaching within the previous 7 years. The bill retains the requirement of at least 3 years of successful experience in teaching.

The bill requires that the state board of education enter into interstate reciprocity agreements with states that participate in the "Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact" (Compact) and that, pursuant to the agreements, the department issue an initial teacher license within 30 days of receiving a complete teacher license application from a person licensed by a state that participates in the Compact when the applicant passes a criminal history record check and meets specified requirements, including holding a current teacher license issued by another state that required completion of a bachelor's degree or higher and a state-approved teacher preparation program or alternative certification program. The bill also requires that the department publish an annual table showing how out-of-state licenses correspond to Colorado endorsement areas. The bill repeals these requirements upon notification that the Compact's rules are in effect.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Prime Sponsors

Senator

Janice Marchman
Senator

Janice Rich
Representative

Dusty Johnson

Committees

Senate

Education

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Status

Under Consideration

Introduced

Under Consideration

Upcoming Schedule

1 meeting

Tue

Mar 17

Senate Third Reading of Bills - Final Passage - Consent Calendar

9:00 AM Senate Chamber

Related Documents & Information

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/16/2026 | Engrossed | PDF |
| 02/25/2026 | Introduced | PDF |

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/12/2026 | PA1 | PDF |

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/04/2026 | Initial Fiscal Note | PDF |

| Activity | Vote | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Refer Senate Bill 26-126, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. | The motion passed on a vote of 7-0. | Vote summary |
Committee Report: PDF
| Date | Amendment Number | Committee/ Floor Hearing | Status | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 03/11/2026 | L.002 | SEN Education | Passed [] | PDF |
| 03/11/2026 | L.001 | SEN Education | Passed [] | PDF |
* Amendments passed in committee are not incorporated into the measure unless adopted by the full House or Senate.

** The status of Second Reading amendments may be subsequently affected by the adoption of an amendment to the Committee of the Whole Report. Refer to the House or Senate Journal for additional information.

| Date | Location | Action |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/16/2026 | Senate | Senate Second Reading Passed - No Amendments |
| 03/11/2026 | Senate | Senate Committee on Education Refer Amended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole |
| 02/25/2026 | Senate | Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Education |
Prime Sponsor

Sen. J. Marchman | Sen. J. Rich

Rep. D. Johnson

Sponsor

(None) Co-Sponsor

(None)