Alternative Teacher Licensure

The Mountain BOCES Alternative Licensure Program are a one-year and two-year teacher preparation program of study and training approved to offer several teaching endorsements.

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2026-2027 Alternative Teacher Licensure Program Costs

*Non-Refundable Enrollment Fee of $200 

Out of District Alternative Teacher In-District Alternative Teacher (with waiver) Out of District Special Education Teacher Endorsement In-District Special Education Teacher Endorsement (with waiver) In-District Special Education Alternative Teacher 2-Year  Out of District Special Education Alternative Teacher 2-Year
$6,750 $5,750 $7,550 $6,550 $12,050  $14,050

Why Mountain BOCES?

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Alternative Teacher Licensure candidates must obtain an employment agreement with a Colorado public school as a teacher in the endorsement area for which they are qualified. 

Mountain BOCES offers a highly flexible, hybrid program that allows teachers to work at the pace that best suits their needs. Our program is a great fit for those that work well independently and with minimal oversight.

The Alternative Teacher Licensure Program has both an online, asynchronous course component as well as a Field-Experience  requirement that gives teachers hands-on, real-time experience in the classroom. 

If you would like to enroll in our program and have been hired by a district, please fill out the enrollment paperwork above and email it to: Professional Learning, pl@mtnboces.org

If you have program questions, please check out our Frequently Asked Questions document above. 

Transparency is important to us! If you’d like to learn more about our program or explore the requirements, check out our ATLP Handbook.

For all other questions for needs, please contact the Professional Learning team at pl@mtnboces.org or via call or text at (719)358-3169.

Member Districts =  In-District: Lake, Buena Vista, Park Re-2, and Salida.

What licensure areas are offered?

Mountain BOCES offers three teacher licensure programs: Alternative Teacher, Alternative Special Education Teacher, and Special Education Endorsement. All of our programs require that you are hired into a teaching position in the licensre area you are pursuing and that you hold a Bachelors Degree from an accredited institution. 

  • Alternative Teacher Licensure: This one-year program allows you to pursue a license in on of the following licensure areas once you have accepted a teaching position in that content area:
    • Early Childhood Education (Ages Birth-8)
    • Elementary Education (Grades K-6)
    • Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (Grades 6-12)
    • Visual Arts (Grades K-12)
    • Business and Marketing (Grades 6-12)
    • Drama Theatre Arts (Grades K-12)
    •  English Language Arts (Grades 6-12)
    •  World Languages (Grades K-12)
    • Health (Grades K-12)
    • Family and Consumer Sciences (Grades 6-12)
    • Technology Education (Grades 6-12)
    • Secondary Mathematics (Grades 6-12)
    • Music (Grades K-12)
    • Physical Education (Grades K-12)
    • Science (Grades 6-12)
    • Social Studies (Grades 6-12)
    • Dance (Grades K-12)
    • Middle School Mathematics (Grades 6-8)
  • Alternative Special Education Teacher: This two-year program allows you to pursue an Elementary Teaching License and Special Education Endorsement at the same time. If you do not hold a current Colorado Teaching License, you will need to enroll in this program if you are hired to teach Special Education. 
    • Elementary Education (Grades K-6)
    • Special Education Generalist (Ages 5-21)
  • Special Education Generalist Endorsement: This one-year program allows those that already hold a Colorado Teaching License to add a Special Education Generalist Endorsement to their license once they are hired to teach Special Education.
    • Special Education Generalist (Ages 5-21)