NEW! STIPENDS FOR ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES: Applicants to Friends TPP may be eligible to receive funds up to $22,000. See the Financial Aid section below. Contact Friends Teacher Preparation Program Director, Jennifer Campo, to inquire about this program.
Become a Certified Early Childhood Education or Elementary Education Teacher in Colorado!
Friends School offers a unique teacher preparation program to aspiring teachers that will enable them to attain a Colorado State teaching license as well as an optional Master’s degree in education through our partnership with the University of Colorado Denver. This highly regarded graduate-level program offers two tracks: Early Childhood Education (ECE) for ages birth-8 or Elementary Education for grades K-6. This one-year long program consists of course work and practicum classroom teaching. Course work begins in August with an orientation week and continues throughout the school year three to four Saturdays per month depending on the number of weekends in that month. All teacher candidates will participate in a year of hands-on classroom teaching experience regardless of the “field experience option” chosen.
RSVP to an info session to learn more
Learn more about our program by attending one of our info sessions below. All sessions are done via Zoom. We are also happy to meet with prospective applicants on an individual basis. Contact us at tppinfo@old23.friendsschoolboulder.org to schedule an individual meeting.
October 6, 2023 – 9:00am
November 3, 2023 – 4:00pm
November 28, 2023 – 2:00pm
December 6, 2023 – 4:00pm – with TEACH Colorado – This information session is led by TEACH Colorado. Learn more about how to apply to Friends School and get your questions about the Friends School application process answered live by Friends School and TEACH Colorado staff during this interactive webinar. Find out more about this event and register at https://ontch.org/FriendsWebinar
January 11, 2024 – 3:00pm
January 23, 2024 – 10:00am
February 10, 2023 – 1:30pm
March 13, 2024 – 4:00pm
April 5, 2024 -9:00am
Two Options:
Option 1 – Co-Teaching Residency Model
The residency track of the program places teachers in one of our partnership classrooms in public and independent schools throughout Colorado depending on the teacher candidate’s preference. Teacher candidates spend four to five days each week for one school year in either an elementary or preschool classroom, working alongside a mentor teacher in a co-teaching role. The mentor teacher serves as the teacher of record in this model. This model may be paid or unpaid depending on the role. For example, para educators and assistant teachers are paid positions (employees of the school).
Option 2 – Teacher of Record or Employee Model
In this track of the program, teacher candidates generally secure a position within a school on their own, either as the teacher of record, assistant or associate teacher, or paraeducator. The teacher candidate is essentially an employee of the school where they are gaining their required field experience and may be required to work Monday through Friday at their school. This is a paid teacher position.
License & Master’s Degree
Colorado Teaching License
Upon completion of the program and passing of required Praxis Exam, teacher candidates receive their Initial Colorado Teaching License in either Elementary Education (K-6) or Early Childhood Education (birth-age 8).
Master’s Degree
Participants in the preparation program may choose to complete a Master’s in Learning, Developmental and Family Sciences, through our partnership with the University of Colorado Denver. Teacher candidates in the Master’s program receive 12 hours of graduate credit for their classroom teaching experience and coursework completed within the program, with an additional 6 credits earned through University of Colorado Denver courses during the program year. The remaining eighteen credits through University of Colorado Denver are generally taken over the summer and following year.
Financial Overview
Cost of Friends School Teacher Preparation Program and Licensure: $9,900
Most of our Teacher Candidates receive some form of financial funding. See our Financial Aid and Scholarship section below.- Optional Master’s Program through the University of Colorado Denver’s (CU Denver) partnership with Friends TPP (optional): $9,720-12,000
The cost of this specialized program through the CU Denver office of Continuing & Professional Education offers a significant discount over a main campus degree. Numbers based on 2023-24 tuition and are subject to change.
University of Colorado Denver Master’s Financial Aid FAQs
Financial Aid & Scholarships
- Colorado HB 22-1220: Applicants to Friends TPP may be eligible to receive funds up to $22,000. Removing Barriers to Educator Preparation was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis in May of 2022. This law creates an innovation program to provide stipends to eligible teacher candidates while they complete their clinical experience.
- ERR Grant: Applicants to Friends TPP who complete their residency in a public school may be eligible to receive funds to pay for their entire tuition.
- PEO: Philanthropic Educational Organization offers a one-time grant for up to $3,000 for women enrolled in a Teacher Education Program and a MA/ED Program. They also offer low-interest education loans.
- TEACH Colorado, is a program that provides free support to anyone who’s considering thinking about becoming a teacher. When you sign up, you get perks like 1-on-1 coaching, up to $100 back in fee reimbursements towards expenses related to applying to our program (including testing and fingerprints), and a chance to win a regional $1,000 scholarship! To capitalize on the application fee reimbursement, you just have to create a TEACH Colorado account here before you apply to Friends School Teacher Preparation Program. Once you have subscribed to TEACH Colorado and applied to Friends, you can submit your application fee reimbursement here and apply for the TEACH Colorado scholarship here!
- Kitzinger Scholarship – In order to be considered for the Kitzinger Scholarship, applicants must submit the online application and Kitzinger application by February 20, 2024. Scroll down for more information on the Kitzinger Scholarship and how to apply.
Kitzinger Scholarship Information
Kitzinger Scholarship Application
Tuition Reimbursement: Several of our partner schools that are independent will pay for the Teacher Candidate’s Tuition upon full completion of the Co-Teaching Residency Model.
TPP Application Process
Rolling Application Process: We are accepting applications for the Fall 2024 school year now and will continue to accept applications into the summer months unless otherwise indicated on our website.
Follow this 3-step process to apply for the Friends TPP
Please read through the application checklist prior to starting your application. You will not be able to save and return to the application once you have started, so you will want to make sure you have all components ready. Please note: You must have a bachelor’s degree in order to participate in the program.
Once your application and all supplemental materials are submitted and reviewed, you will be contacted with next steps in the process.
(CDE) Alternative License Instructions
Please note: In order for you to enroll in any Alternative Teacher Licensing Program in Colorado, including the Friends School Teacher Preparation Program, you must pass the appropriate Praxis Exams. Details and information can be found in the CDE Alternative License Instructions.
If accepted into the Friends TPP, TCs will receive information about the Masters in May/June and will register for courses with program support in July 2024 for the Fall semester.
For more information about the program, please email Director of the Teacher Preparation Program Jennifer Campo.
TPP Partner Schools
Bear Creek Elementary
Crest View Elementary
Crown Pointe Academy
Eisenhower Elementary School
Emerald Elementary
Gold Hill Elementary School
Horizons K-8
Louisville Elementary School
Meadowlark School
Mesa Elementary School
Monarch K-8
Peak to Peak Charter School
Sanchez Elementary School
Superior Elementary School
Whittier International School
Follow Us
The Friends School Teacher Prep Program was one of the best years of my life, and it has shaped my entire teaching career. I completed the program in 2008 and have been teaching from the heart ever since. Thank you!
~ Mackenzie F-H, former TC
TPP Staff
 Jennifer CampoTeacher Preparation Program Director |
TPP Brochure
