Colo. Rev. Stat. » Title 22
Colorado Revised Statutes

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 22-63-103 (2026)

Definitions

✓ current as of July 2026
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As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Academic year" means that portion of the school year during which the public schools of a school district are in regular session, beginning about the first week in September and ending about the first week in June next following.

(1.5) "Administrator" means any person who administers, directs, or supervises the education instructional program, or a portion thereof, in any school or school district in the state and who is not the chief executive officer or an assistant chief executive officer of such school.

(2) "Alternative year program" means an academic year meeting the minimum hours required in section 22-32-109 (1)(n) and which is in session for a period of time other than the standard academic year.

(3) "Board" means the board of education of a school district.

(4) "Dismissal" means the involuntary termination of employment of a teacher for any reason other than a justifiable decrease in teaching positions.

(5) "Nonrenewal" means the involuntary termination of employment of a probationary teacher by a board at the expiration of a specific contractual period.

(6) "Part-time teacher" means a teacher who normally performs services as an employee of a school in an amount of time less than four hours during each regular school day.

(7) "Probationary teacher" means a teacher who has not completed three consecutive years of demonstrated effectiveness or a nonprobationary teacher who has had two consecutive years of demonstrated ineffectiveness, as defined by rule adopted by the general assembly pursuant to section 22-9-105.5.

(8) "School district" means a school district organized and existing pursuant to law.

(9) "School year" means July 1 through June 30 next following.

(10) "Substitute teacher" means a teacher who normally performs services as an employee of a school district for four hours or more during each regular school day, but works on one continuous assignment for a total of less than ninety regular school days, or for less than one semester or equivalent time as determined by the annual school year calendar of the district in which the teacher is employed during an academic year. "Substitute teacher" also means an itinerant teacher who, as an employee of a school district, normally performs services on a day- to-day or similar short-term basis during an academic year as a replacement teacher for a nonprobationary teacher employed pursuant to section 22-63-202, a probationary teacher employed pursuant to section 22-63-203, or a part-time teacher while the nonprobationary, probationary, or part-time teacher is absent or otherwise unavailable. "Substitute teacher" does not include any nonprobationary or probationary teacher who is assigned as a permanent substitute teacher within a school district.

(11) "Teacher" means any person who holds a teacher's license issued pursuant to the provisions of article 60.5 of this title and who is employed to instruct, direct, or supervise the instructional program. "Teacher" does not include those persons holding authorizations and the chief administrative officer of any school district.

Source: L. 90: Entire article R&RE, p. 1117, § 1, effective July 1. L. 98: (10) amended, p. 15, § 1, effective March 16. L. 2000: (1.5) added, p.1062, § 1, effective May 26; (11) amended, p.1860, § 67, effective August 2. L. 2010: (7) amended, (SB 10-191), ch. 241, p. 1070, § 10, effective May 20.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 22-63-102 as it existed prior to 1990.

22-63-104. Teacher employment and compensation committee - creation - issues to be studied. (Repealed) Source: L. 90: Entire article R&RE, p. 1118, § 1, effective July 1.

Editor's note: Subsection (6) provided for the repeal of this section, effective January 1, 1991. (See L. 90, p. 1118.)

PART 2

EMPLOYMENT

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 13 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1980–2025 · leading case: Sch. Dist. No. 1 in the City & Cnty. of Denver v. Masters, 2018 CO 18 (Colo. 2018).
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Sch. Dist. No. 1 in the City & Cnty. of Denver v. Masters, 2018 CO 18 (Colo. 2018). · cites it 6× “" § 22-63-103(7), C.R.S. (1990). ¶ 7 Despite removing tenure language, TECDA did retain some of TEDTA's provisions.”
Johnson v. Sch. Dist. No. 1 in the City & Cnty. of Denver, 2018 CO 17 (Colo. 2018). · cites it 6× “” § 22-63-103(7), C.R.S. (1990). But TECDA retained TEDTA’s language on transferring teachers within a school district, providing that “[a] teacher may be transferred upon the recommendation of the chief executive officer of a school district from one school .”
Reeves-Toney v. Sch. Dist. No. 1 in City & Cnty. of Denver, 2019 CO 40 (Colo. 2019). · cites it 2× “" § 22-63-103(7), C.R.S. (2018). 3 In her complaint, Reeves-Toney sought declaratory and injunctive relief.”
Frey v. Adams Cnty. Sch. Dist. No. 14, 804 P.2d 851 (Colo. 1991). · cites it 4× “8 § 22-63-103, 9 C.R.S. (1988). A teacher must hold a valid certificate or letter of authorization at all times while employed by a school district and forfeits all claim to compensation out of school district moneys for services performed during a time when such authorization…”
Milan v. Aims Junior Coll. Dist., 623 P.2d 65 (Colo. Ct. App. 1980). · cites it 6× “1973; however, § 22-63-103 C.R.S.1973, of the Teacher *67 Tenure Act permits uncertified individuals to teach at the junior college level, and § 22-63-104 C.”
Colorado Educ. Ass'n v. Colorado State Bd. of Educ., 2025 COA 56 (Colo. Ct. App. 2025). · cites it 6× “See §§ 22-63-103, 22-9- 106. In a thorough written order, after full briefing by the parties, the district court denied the CEA’s petition for review, finding that the CEA hadn’t met its burden to prove the two rules were invalid.”
Snyder v. Jefferson Cnty. Sch. Dist. R-1, 842 P.2d 624 (Colo. 1992). · cites it 2× “§ 22-63-103, 9 C.R.S. (1988). Thus a teacher who does not hold a current teacher's certificate jeopardizes his or her ability to execute a contract of employment and, in some circumstances, may be subject to dismissal.”
Masters v. Sch. Dist. No. 1 in the City & Cnty. of Denver, 2015 COA 159 (Colo. Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 3× “See § 22-63-103(7), C.R.S. 2015; Ch. 435, sec.”
Masters v. Sch. Dist. No. 1 in the City & Cnty. of Denver, 2015 COA 159 (Colo. Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 3× “See § 22-63-103(7), C.R.S. 2015; Ch. 435, sec.”
Klinger v. Adams Cnty. Sch. Dist. No. 50, 109 P.3d 1014 (Colo. Ct. App. 2005). · cites it 2× “” See § 22-63-103, C.R.S. 2003 (definitions provision).”
v. Poudre Sch. Dist R-1, 2020 COA 27 (Colo. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 3× “10, § 22-63-103, 2010 Colo. Sess. Laws 1070 .”
POUDRE Sch. Dist. R-1 & Poudre Sch. Dist. R-1 Bd. of Educ. v. Patricia STANCZYK & Poudre Educ. Ass'n, 489 P.3d 743 (Colo. 2021). · cites it 3× “" § 22-63-103 (7) , C.R.S. ( 1990 ) . Unlike TEDTA , which "entitled" teachers to employment when they became tenured, § 22-63-115 (1) , C.”
Show all 13 citing cases →
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 22-63-103(11) — 1 case
Frey v. Adams Cnty. Sch. Dist. No. 14, 804 P.2d 851 (Colo. 1991). “8 § 22-63-103, 9 C.R.S. (1988). A teacher must hold a valid certificate or letter of authorization at all times while employed by a school district and forfeits all claim to compensation out of school district moneys for services performed during a time when such authorization…”
— Colo. Rev. Stat. § 22-63-103(7) — 7 cases
Sch. Dist. No. 1 in the City & Cnty. of Denver v. Masters, 2018 CO 18 (Colo. 2018). “" § 22-63-103(7), C.R.S. (1990). ¶ 7 Despite removing tenure language, TECDA did retain some of TEDTA's provisions.”
Johnson v. Sch. Dist. No. 1 in the City & Cnty. of Denver, 2018 CO 17 (Colo. 2018). “” § 22-63-103(7), C.R.S. (1990). But TECDA retained TEDTA’s language on transferring teachers within a school district, providing that “[a] teacher may be transferred upon the recommendation of the chief executive officer of a school district from one school .”
Reeves-Toney v. Sch. Dist. No. 1 in City & Cnty. of Denver, 2019 CO 40 (Colo. 2019). “" § 22-63-103(7), C.R.S. (2018). 3 In her complaint, Reeves-Toney sought declaratory and injunctive relief.”
Colorado Educ. Ass'n v. Colorado State Bd. of Educ., 2025 COA 56 (Colo. Ct. App. 2025). “See §§ 22-63-103, 22-9- 106. In a thorough written order, after full briefing by the parties, the district court denied the CEA’s petition for review, finding that the CEA hadn’t met its burden to prove the two rules were invalid.”
Masters v. Sch. Dist. No. 1 in the City & Cnty. of Denver, 2015 COA 159 (Colo. Ct. App. 2015). “See § 22-63-103(7), C.R.S. 2015; Ch. 435, sec.”
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