Seeking to improve its educational quality, Colombia adopted a new teacher career structure in 2002. This reform shifted away from the old single-salary schedule model towards one of career progression based on performance and competence evaluations. One of its main strengths is the competitive entry examination, which has improved transparency and trust in the selection process as well as the calibre of professionals being recruited. Though a promising design, the reform has struggled owing to the continued coexistence of the old system for previously employed teachers along with several other implementation issues. This country note was conducted within the framework of an international research project on teacher careers implemented by the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP). It explores Colombia’s teacher career reforms through detailed analysis and comparison to old policies. Further, the note explores the frustration some teachers initially felt with the reform due to perceived difficulties in career progression, which led to changes in the evaluation system in 2016.