Denver Public Schools is dedicated to building a diverse, well-prepared teacher workforce. Whether you are an experienced teacher or just starting, DPS offers a range of opportunities and partnerships to help you join Team DPS. Our commitment to developing a strong teacher pipeline includes traditional and non-traditional programs, as well as a home-grown approach to support future educators. We believe that early, strong support helps novice teachers grow faster, stay longer, and have a greater impact on student outcomes.

A strong teacher preparation program will incorporate recent research, theory, and best practices to address the educational needs of school districts. It will offer a curriculum that acknowledges the diverse cultural backgrounds of the students served, emphasizes standards-based education, highlights the role of schools in society, builds on current knowledge about teaching and learning, and integrates the use of technology in instruction.

There are a variety of teacher preparation programs in Colorado. Please refer to the Colorado Department of Education's website to find the one that best suits you. The tool below allows you to filter by pathway type, duration, course format, and more.

The Alternative Licensure Pathway allows districts to hire individuals to serve as a teacher while completing the necessary teacher preparation based on the Colorado Teacher Quality Standards. This program is designed for individuals that have a bachelor's degree and want to start teaching in a classroom as soon as possible. For more information, visit the Colorado Department of Education's Alternative Teacher Pathway Requirements page.

The Para-to-Teacher Pathway is designed to build diverse teacher pipelines of candidates who are prepared to enter DPS classrooms equipped to design and deliver rigorous, culturally responsive instruction in anti-racist classroom communities. The goal is to help break down barriers for current and future paraprofessionals in DPS to obtain their teacher licensure through established Teacher Preparation Partnerships.

If you have been selected by your teacher preparation program (traditional or residency) to begin student teaching and have confirmed placement in Denver Public Schools, please follow the steps below:

1. Complete the 24-25 Denver Public Schools Preservice Teacher Application

2. Complete a Sterling Volunteers Background Check

After you submit your application and your background check comes back clear, you will receive an email from Talent Acquisition outlining next steps such as start date and DPS systems access. We are thrilled to have you complete your preservice teaching experience as part of Team DPS!

You are encouraged to apply to become a Guest Teacher during your preservice teaching experience in DPS to support your mentor teacher and classroom students. Check out our Guest Teacher page to learn more!

For more information on Para-to-Teacher Pathways, email teacherpathways@dpsk12.net. For general questions, email careers@dpsk12.org