Happy Teacher Professional Development Graduate Courses can help you fulfill Colorado’s renewal requirement. Colorado requires teachers to complete 90 contact hours (equivalent to six semester hours) of professional development within the seven year validity period of your license.

Additional requirements:

• By June 30, 2025, teachers must complete at least 10 contact hours in behavioral health and special education training. Our Special Education and Behavioral Health Foundations For Colorado Educators course satisfies all 10 hours of this requirement.
• If endorsed in elementary education, English language arts, math, science, social studies, or any middle-level subject, teachers must complete 45 contact hours in culturally and linguistically diverse education. CHOOSE from our English Language Learners: Practical Strategies for Educators OR Tech Tools for English Language Learners satisfies all 45 hours of this requirement.

Happy Teacher is pre-approved by the Colorado Department of Education, so you do not need to buy graduate-credit for license renewal.

If your district requires graduate-level credit to move up the pay scale be sure to select “Course + Graduate Level Credit.”

Certificate Hours by Semester Credit

Wondering how many hours are listed on your Certificate of Completion? Here's the breakdown:

• 1 semester credit = 15 hours
• 2 semester credits = 30 hours
• 3 semester credits = 45 hours

Important: Renewal requirements are subject to change. We recommend consulting the Colorado Department of Education’s website to ensure you have the most up-to-date information.

Here are other courses popular with Colorado educators:

• Special Education & Behavioral Health Foundations for Colorado Educators
• AI For Educators 
• Effective Classroom Management
• Stress Management
• English Language Learners: Practical Strategies for Educators