Calculus 1
Self-paced online Calculus 1 course (Math 165). NCCRS recommends 4 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →ColoradoTeachers
24 hours or the Praxis: adding an endorsement in Colorado
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
For a Colorado Mathematics 6-12 endorsement, CDE takes any one of three proofs: Praxis 5161 at 152 or 5165 at 159, a math degree, or 24 semester hours in six categories at B- or better. The Praxis is faster for confident teachers. Coursework suits teachers who need to learn the content first.
Three routes, one endorsement
CDE's Mathematics (Grades 6-12) worksheet gives three pathways and asks for only one. You must already hold a valid Colorado teacher license, because this is an added endorsement.
| Route | What CDE wants | Usual time |
|---|---|---|
| Praxis | 5161 at 152 or higher, or 5165 at 159 or higher | Weeks of review, one test day |
| Degree | A bachelor's or higher in mathematics | Only if you already have it |
| Coursework | 24 semester hours in six categories, B- or better | Several months to a year |
When the Praxis is the better choice
If you took calculus and statistics in college and still use them, the test is usually the shortest road. One passing score replaces all six categories at once.
It also avoids the grade question. The coursework route needs a B- or higher in each category, and you only find out how CDE reads a transferred course when it reviews your application.
When coursework is the better choice
Coursework fits teachers moving into math from another subject. You learn the content you will teach, and each course moves you closer to the 24 hours even if you later decide to sit the exam.
It also fits teachers who already have some math on a transcript. Fill in the worksheet with what you have; you may need only two or three categories.
Many teachers start courses and then take the Praxis once the material feels fresh. Calculus 1 and 2 and Principles of Statistics are good review for the exam as well as building blocks for the coursework route.
Documented professional development or work experience in the categories can also meet up to 6 hours on the worksheet, which shortens the coursework route.
- Moving from science, elementary or special education into math
- Some math credit already on a transcript
- You learn better with a course than with test review
Cost and time side by side
The Praxis has one registration fee and a few weeks of review. The coursework route costs more in time: up to 24 semester hours, a college transcript step and CDE's review. If you choose coursework, self-paced online courses keep the cost down. UPI Study PRO is $99 a month for every course, and Calculus 1, Calculus 2, Calculus 3, Discrete Mathematics and Principles of Statistics together cover up to 19 hours of the worksheet.
A Colorado community college is the other common choice. Pueblo Community College lists $183.75 per credit hour in state with the College Opportunity Fund stipend, so 24 hours is over $4,000 before fees. That route does post letter grades directly on its own transcript, which settles the B- question.
- Praxis: lowest cost if you pass the first time
- Community college: higher cost, letter grades on its own transcript
- Self-paced courses plus a college: lower cost, ask CDE about grades first
A short plan for a science teacher adding math
A licensed science teacher has Calculus I and Statistics from her degree with B grades. That fills the statistics box and half the calculus box. She takes Calculus 2 to finish the calculus sequence, then studies for Praxis 5165 using the same material. If she passes, she is done. If not, she keeps going with Discrete Mathematics and Calculus 3 and plans geometry and history of math at a college.
What to ask CDE before you pick
Write one email and keep the answer.
- Which Praxis test do you accept for my endorsement today?
- How do you read a course a college posted through transfer without a letter grade?
- Which categories on my current transcripts do you already count?
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask CDE Educator Licensing in writing whether credit posted by a regionally accredited college through transfer of ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses meets the B- rule and fits the categories you plan to use, before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
What score do I need on the Praxis for a Colorado math endorsement?
CDE's Mathematics 6-12 worksheet lists Praxis 5161 with a score of 152 or higher, or Praxis 5165 with 159 or higher. The middle school math endorsement has a different test. Check CDE's endorsement requirements page before you register, as tests and scores can change.
Can I use both courses and the Praxis for one Colorado endorsement?
You meet the endorsement with one pathway, not a blend of the exam and part of the coursework. Many teachers still take courses to prepare and then pass the exam. Courses already on your transcript count fully if you choose the 24-hour coursework route.
How long does the 24-hour route take in Colorado?
It depends on what you already have. Starting from nothing, 24 semester hours across six categories is several months to a year of study, plus the time a college needs to post outside credit and CDE needs to review the application.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Calculus 2
Self-paced online Calculus 2 course (Math 265). NCCRS recommends 4 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Principles of Statistics
Self-paced online Principles of Statistics course (Statistics 101). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Settle the B- question with CDE first, then use PRO for calculus, discrete math and statistics.
Sources
- CDE: Endorsement Worksheet - Mathematics (Grades 6-12), 11.30.2024 (official)24 semester hours at a regionally accredited college in six categories, B- or higher in each; up to 6 hours from documented PD or work experience; or a math degree; or Praxis 5161/152 or 5165/159. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- CDE: Endorsement requirements (content knowledge) (official)24 semester hours as identified on each worksheet; B- or better in each course; professional development courses and pass/fail not used for the coursework route; added endorsements need an existing valid Colorado teacher license. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.