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HOUSE BILL 157
57
TH LEGISLATURE
-
STATE
OF
NEW
MEXICO
-
FIRST SESSION
,
2025
INTRODUCED BY
Joy Garratt and Brian G. Baca and Raymundo Lara
FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE
AN ACT
RELATING TO SCHOOL PERSONNEL; CREATING NEW LICENSES FOR SITE
ADMINISTRATORS, SUPERINTENDENTS AND OTHER SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS; PROVIDING ENHANCED QUALIFICATIONS AND
REQUIREMENTS; ENACTING THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR DEVELOPMENT
ACT; PROVIDING POWERS AND DUTIES; SETTING CRITERIA; PROVIDING
FOR A DELAYED REPEAL OF CURRENT SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR LICENSES;
AMENDING, REPEALING AND ENACTING SECTIONS OF THE NMSA 1978.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. Section 22-10A-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2019,
Chapter 238, Section 1, as amended by Laws 2023, Chapter 148,
Section 3 and by Laws 2023, Chapter 177, Section 1) is amended
to read:
"22-10A-2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the School Personnel
Act:
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A. "child abuse" means a child:
(1) who has suffered or who is at risk of
suffering serious harm because of the action or inaction of the
child's parent, guardian, custodian or other adult;
(2) who has suffered physical abuse, emotional
abuse or psychological abuse inflicted or caused by the child's
parent, guardian, custodian or other adult;
(3) who has suffered sexual abuse or sexual
exploitation inflicted by the child's parent, guardian,
custodian or other adult;
(4) whose parent, guardian, custodian or other
adult has knowingly, intentionally or negligently placed the
child in a situation that may endanger the child's life or
health; or
(5) whose parent, guardian, custodian or other
adult has knowingly or intentionally tortured, cruelly confined
or cruelly punished the child;
B. "constitutional special school" means the
New Mexico military institute, New Mexico school for the deaf
and New Mexico school for the blind and visually impaired;
C. "contractor" means [an individual ] a person who
is under contract with a public school and is hired to provide
services to the public school, but does not include a general
contractor or a building or maintenance contractor who is
supervised and has no access to students at the public school;
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D. "discharge" means the act of severing the
employment relationship with a licensed school employee prior
to the expiration of the current employment contract;
E. "employed for three consecutive school years"
means a licensed school employee has been offered and accepted
in writing a notice of reemployment for the third consecutive
school year;
F. "ethical misconduct" means the following
behavior or conduct by school district personnel, school
employees, school volunteers, contractors or contractors'
employees:
(1) discriminatory practice based on race,
age, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, sexual
orientation, gender identity, mental or physical disability,
marital status, religion, citizenship, domestic abuse reporting
status or serious medical condition;
(2) sexual misconduct or any sexual offense
prohibited by Chapter 30, Article 6A or 9 NMSA 1978 involving
an adult or child, regardless of a child's enrollment status;
(3) fondling a child or student, including
touching private body parts, such as breasts, buttocks,
genitals, inner thighs, groin or anus; or
(4) any other behavior, including licentious,
enticing or solicitous behavior, that is reasonably apparent to
result in inappropriate sexual contact with a child or student
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or to induce a child or student into engaging in illegal,
immoral or other prohibited behavior;
G. "governing authority" means the policy-setting
body of a school district, charter school, constitutional
special school or regional education cooperative, or the final
decision maker of a state agency that provides educational
services to a school-aged person;
H. "instructional support provider" means a person
who is employed to support the instructional program of a
public school, including educational assistant, school
counselor, social worker, school nurse, speech-language
pathologist, psychologist, physical therapist, occupational
therapist, recreational therapist, marriage and family
therapist, interpreter for the deaf, diagnostician, attendance
coach, practical nurse, school health assistant, school
business official, rehabilitation counselor, athletic coach,
educational alcohol and drug abuse counselor and substance
abuse associate;
I. "just cause" means a reason that is rationally
related to a school employee's competence or turpitude or the
proper performance of the school employee's duties and that is
not in violation of the school employee's civil or
constitutional rights;
J. "military service member" means a person who is:
(1) serving in the armed forces of the United
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States as an active duty member or in an active reserve
component of the armed forces of the United States, including
the national guard;
(2) the spouse of a person who is serving in
the armed forces of the United States as an active duty member
or in an active reserve component of the armed forces of the
United States, including the national guard; or a surviving
spouse of a member who at the time of death was serving on
active duty; or
(3) the child of a person who is serving in
the armed forces of the United States as an active duty member
or in an active reserve component of the armed forces of the
United States, including the national guard; provided that
child is also a dependent of that person for federal income tax
purposes;
K. "moral turpitude" means an act or behavior that
gravely violates the accepted standards of moral conduct,
justice or honesty and may include ethical misconduct;
L. "public school" means a school district, charter
school, constitutional special school, regional education
cooperative or the educational program of another state agency;
[M. "responsibility factor" means a value of 1.25
for an elementary school principal, 1.45 for a middle school or
junior high school principal, 1.65 for a high school principal,
1.15 for an assistant elementary school principal, 1.20 for an
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assistant middle school or assistant junior high school
principal and 1.30 for an assistant high school principal;
N.] M. "sabbatical leave" means leave of absence
with pay as approved by the governing authority during all or
part of a regular school term for purposes of study or travel
related to a licensed school employee's duties and of direct
benefit to the instructional program;
[O.] N. "school administrator" means a person
licensed to administer in a school district, charter school,
constitutional special school or regional education cooperative
or a person employed with another state agency who administers
an educational program and includes local superintendents,
school principals, central district administrators, business
managers, charter school head administrators and state agency
education supervisors;
[P.] O. "school employee" includes licensed and
unlicensed employees of a public school;
[Q.] P. "school premises" means:
(1) the buildings and grounds, including
playgrounds, playing fields and parking areas and a school bus
of a public school, in or on which school or school-related
activities are being operated under the supervision of a local
school board, charter school or state agency; or
(2) any other public buildings or grounds,
including playing fields and parking areas that are not public
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school property, in or on which public school-related and
-sanctioned activities are being performed;
[R.] Q. "school volunteer" means a person,
including a relative of a student, who commits to serve on a
regular basis at a school district, charter school or other
educational entity without compensation;
R. "site administrator" means an assistant
principal, a principal or a charter school head administrator;
S. "state agency" means a regional education
cooperative or state institution;
T. "state institution" means the [New Mexico boys'
school, girls' welfare home ] juvenile detention centers
operated by the children, youth and families department,
including the New Mexico youth diagnostic and development
center; the John Paul Taylor center; the Sequoyah adolescent
treatment center; the Carrie Tingley crippled children's
hospital; the New Mexico behavioral health institute at Las
Vegas; and any other state agency responsible for educating
resident children;
U. "substitute teacher" means a person who holds a
certificate to substitute for a teacher in the classroom;
V. "superintendent" means a local superintendent,
head administrator of a charter school or regional education
cooperative, superintendent or commandant of a special school
or head administrator of the educational program of a state
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agency;
W. "teacher" means a person who holds a level one,
level two or level three-A license and whose primary job is
classroom instruction or the supervision, below the school
principal level, of an instructional program or whose duties
include curriculum development, peer intervention, peer
coaching or mentoring or serving as a resource teacher for
other teachers;
X. "terminate" means the act of severing the
employment relationship with a school employee;
Y. "unsupervised contact with children or students"
means access to or contact with, or the opportunity to have
access to or contact with, a child or student for any length of
time in the absence of:
(1) a licensed staff person from the same
school or institution;
(2) a school volunteer who has undergone a
background check pursuant to Section 22-10A-5 NMSA 1978; or
(3) any adult relative or guardian of the
child or student;
Z. "veteran" means a person who has received an
honorable discharge or separation from military service in the
armed forces of the United States or in an active reserve
component of the armed forces of the United States, including
the national guard; and
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AA. "working day" means every school calendar day,
excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays."
SECTION 2. Section 22-10A-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003,
Chapter 153, Section 34, as amended) is amended to read:
"22-10A-3. LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE REQUIRED--APPLICATION
FEE--CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD CHECKS --GENERAL DUTIES.--
A. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection,
any person teaching, supervising an instructional program or
providing instructional support services in a public school;
any person administering in a public school; and any person
providing health care and administering medications or
performing medical procedures in a public school shall hold a
valid license or certificate from the department authorizing
the person to perform that function. [This subsection does not
apply to a person performing the functions of a practice
teacher or teaching intern as defined by the department ] A
person applying for a license or certificate from the
department shall undergo a criminal history record check
pursuant to Section 22-10A-5 NMSA 1978. The criminal history
record check requirement shall apply to the following
applicants:
(1) applicants for level one licensure
pursuant to Section 22-10A-7 NMSA 1978;
(2) applicants for an alternative level one
license pursuant to Section 22-10A-8 NMSA 1978;
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(3) applicants for level two licensure
pursuant to Section 22-10A-10 NMSA 1978;
(4) applicants for level three licensure
pursuant to Section 22-10A-11 NMSA 1978;
(5) applicants for an alternative level two or
level three license pursuant to Section 22-10A-11.1
NMSA 1978;
(6) applicants for alternative licensure
pursuant to Section 22-10A-11.2 NMSA 1978;
(7) applicants for level three-B provisional
licensure for school principals pursuant to Section 22-10A-11.3
NMSA 1978;
(8) applicants for level three-B
administrator's licensure pursuant to Section 22-10A-11.4 NMSA
1978;
(9) applicants for provisional site
administrator licensure pursuant to Section 22-10A-11.5 NMSA
1978;
(10) applicants for initial site administrator
licensure pursuant to Section 22-10A-11.6 NMSA 1978;
(11) applicants for professional site
administrator licensure pursuant to Section 22-10A-11.7 NMSA
1978;
(12) applicants for provisional superintendent
licensure pursuant to Section 22-10A-11.8 NMSA 1978;
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(13) applicants for superintendent licensure
pursuant to Section 22-10A-11.9 NMSA 1978;
[(9)] (14) applicants for licenses granted on
the basis of reciprocity pursuant to Section 22-10A-12 NMSA
1978;
[(10)] (15) applicants for expedited licensure
pursuant to Section 22-10A-12.1 NMSA 1978;
[(11)] (16) applicants for Native American
language and culture certificates pursuant to Section 22-10A-13
NMSA 1978;
[(12)] (17) applicants for substitute teacher
certificates pursuant to Section 22-10A-15 NMSA 1978;
[(13)] (18) applicants for instructional
support provider [certificates ] licenses pursuant to Section
22-10A-17 NMSA 1978;
[(14)] (19) applicants for educational
assistant licensure pursuant to Section 22-10A-17.1 NMSA 1978;
[and
(15)] (20) applicants for alternative level
three-B licensure pursuant to Section 22-10A-17.2 NMSA 1978;
and
(21) applicants for licensure for student
teachers still in a teacher preparation program or a teacher
residency pursuant to Section 22-10B-5 NMSA 1978 .
B. In the event that the statutory section numbers
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referring to the licenses and certificates in Subsection A of
this section are amended, the licensure and criminal history
record check requirement shall remain in effect for the
applicants. The department may require a federal bureau of
investigation criminal history record check of a current
licensee to analyze whether the department has good and just
cause for suspension or revocation of a department-issued
license. Applicants and current licensees shall pay the cost
of obtaining a federal bureau of investigation criminal history
record check. The department shall not share criminal history
record check information with another entity unless expressly
permitted by applicable federal law or federal regulation.
C. Except as provided in Subsection D of this
section, the department shall charge a reasonable fee for each
application for or the renewal of a license or certificate.
The application fee may be waived if the applicant meets a
standard of indigency established by the department.
D. No licensing or certificate fee shall be charged
for the first three years a license or certificate required by
this section is valid if the licensee or certificate holder is
a military service member or a veteran.
E. A person performing the duties of a licensed
school employee who does not hold a valid license or
certificate or has not submitted a complete application for
licensure or certification within the first three months from
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beginning employment duties shall not be compensated thereafter
for services rendered until the person demonstrates that the
person holds a valid license or certificate. This section does
not apply to practice teachers or teaching interns as defined
by rules of the department.
F. Each licensed school employee shall:
(1) enforce all laws and rules applicable to
the employee's public school;
(2) if teaching, teach the prescribed courses
of instruction;
(3) exercise supervision over students on
public school premises and while the students are under the
control of the public school; and
(4) furnish reports as required."
SECTION 3. Section 22-10A-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003,
Chapter 153, Section 35, as amended by Laws 2005, Chapter 315,
Section 4 and by Laws 2005, Chapter 316, Section 1) is amended
to read:
"22-10A-4. TEACHERS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS--
PROFESSIONAL STATUS--LICENSURE LEVELS--SALARY ALIGNMENT.--
A. Teaching and school administration are
recognized as professions, with all the rights,
responsibilities and privileges accorded professions, having
their first responsibility to the public they serve. The
primary responsibilities of the teaching and [school ] site
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administration professions are to educate the children of this
state and to improve the professional practices and ethical
conduct of their members.
B. The New Mexico licensure framework for teachers
and school administrators is a progressive career system in
which licensees are required to demonstrate increased
competencies and undertake increased duties as they progress
through the licensure levels. The minimum salary provided as
part of the career system shall not take effect until the
department has adopted increased competencies for the
particular level of licensure and a highly objective uniform
statewide standard of evaluation.
C. A level one license is a provisional license
that gives a beginning teacher the opportunity, through a
formal mentorship program, for additional preparation to be a
quality teacher. A level two license is given to a teacher who
is a fully qualified professional who is primarily responsible
for ensuring that students meet and exceed department-adopted
academic content and performance standards; a teacher may
choose to remain at level two for the remainder of the
teacher's career. A level three-A license is the highest level
of teaching licensure for those teachers who choose to advance
as instructional leaders in the teaching profession and
undertake greater responsibilities such as curriculum
development, peer intervention and mentoring. [A level three-
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B]
D. An initial site administrator license is for
teachers and instructional support providers who commence a new
career path in [school ] site administration by becoming [school
administrators] assistant school principals, school principals
or charter school administrators. A professional site
administrator license is given to an assistant school
principal, school principal or charter school head
administrator who is a fully qualified professional who may
choose to remain at this level for the remainder of the
assistant school principal's, school principal's or charter
school head administrator's career.
E. A superintendent license is the highest level of
administrative licensure for those administrators who choose to
undertake the responsibilities of leading a school district.
Charter school governing bodies may choose to require head
administrators to hold a superintendent license based on the
needs of the school.
[D.] F. All teacher and school administrator salary
systems shall be aligned with the licensure framework in a
professional educator licensing and salary system.
[E. All teachers and school administrators who hold
teaching or administrator certificates on the effective date of
the 2003 act shall meet the requirements for their level of
licensure by September 1, 2006 and shall be issued licenses. ]
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G. All teachers, instructional support providers
and school administrators who hold valid level three-B licenses
on July 1, 2028 shall be granted a professional site
administrator license.
H. All school administrators who hold valid level
three-B licenses and have worked as local superintendents prior
to July 1, 2028 shall be granted a superintendent license. "
SECTION 4. A new section of the School Personnel Act,
Section 22-10A-11.5 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:
"22-10A-11.5. [NEW MATERIAL ] PROVISIONAL SITE
ADMINISTRATOR LICENSURE.--
A. A provisional site administrator license is a
one-year license granted to a level two or three-A teacher who
meets the qualifications for that license.
B. To qualify for a provisional site administrator
license, the candidate shall:
(1) meet the requirements for a level two or
three-A license;
(2) be enrolled in a department-approved site
administrator induction and mentoring program in the school
district; and
(3) be accepted into a department-approved
site administrator preparation program.
C. The provisional license is renewable up to three
times upon annual proof of enrollment in a department-approved
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site administrator preparation program and satisfactory
evaluations each year from the school district's mentoring
program. After successful completion of the department-
approved site administrator preparation program and
satisfactory evaluations, the provisional license may be
converted to a professional site administrator license if the
candidate completes the requirements for that license."
SECTION 5. A new section of the School Personnel Act,
Section 22-10A-11.6 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:
"22-10A-11.6. [NEW MATERIAL ] INITIAL SITE ADMINISTRATOR
LICENSE.--
A. As used in this section, "responsibility factor"
means a value of 1.25 for an elementary school principal, 1.45
for a middle school or junior high school principal, 1.65 for a
high school principal, 1.15 for an assistant elementary school
principal, 1.20 for an assistant middle school or assistant
junior high school principal and 1.30 for an assistant high
school principal.
B. An initial site administrator license is a
three-year license granted to an applicant who meets the
qualifications for that license. Up to two one-year renewals
may be granted upon request by the local superintendent.
C. The department shall grant an initial site
administrator license to an applicant who:
(1) has successfully completed a department-
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approved site administrator preparation program or an out-of-
state council for the accreditation of educator preparation- or
association for advancing quality in educator preparation-
accredited administrator preparation program and a department-
approved clinical experience in New Mexico;
(2) has at least three years of experience as
a teacher or instructional support provider;
(3) holds a post-baccalaureate degree or
national board for professional teaching standards
certification; and
(4) meets any additional requirements as
determined by the department.
D. The minimum annual salary for a licensed site
administrator serving as a school principal or assistant school
principal is the minimum salary for a level three-A teacher
multiplied by the applicable responsibility factor.
E. The department shall adopt a highly objective
uniform statewide standard of evaluation, including data
sources linked to student achievement and an educational plan
for student success progress, for school principals and
assistant school principals and rules for the implementation of
that evaluation system linked to the level of responsibility at
each school level."
SECTION 6. A new section of the School Personnel Act,
Section 22-10A-11.7 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:
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"22-10A-11.7. [NEW MATERIAL ] PROFESSIONAL SITE
ADMINISTRATOR LICENSURE.--
A. A professional site administrator license is a
five-year license granted to an applicant who meets the
qualifications for that license.
B. The department shall grant a professional site
administrator license to an applicant who:
(1) holds a post-baccalaureate degree or
national board for professional teaching standards
certification;
(2) has successfully completed a department-
approved site administrator preparation program;
(3) has at least one year of experience as a
site administrator;
(4) has successfully completed a department-
approved site administrator induction program; and
(5) meets any additional requirements as
determined by the department.
C. Licenses may be renewed on successful completion
of department-required professional development and
satisfactory annual performance evaluations."
SECTION 7. A new section of the School Personnel Act,
Section 22-10A-11.8 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:
"22-10A-11.8. [NEW MATERIAL ] PROVISIONAL SUPERINTENDENT
LICENSURE.--
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A. A provisional superintendent license is a
one-year license granted to an applicant who meets the
qualifications for that license. A provisional license may be
renewed up to three times with annual proof of enrollment in a
department-approved aspiring superintendent academy and the
recommendation of an induction coach.
B. The department shall grant a provisional
superintendent license to an applicant who:
(1) has at least one year of experience as a
school administrator;
(2) is enrolled in a department-approved
superintendent induction and mentoring program; and
(3) meets any additional requirements as
determined by the department."
SECTION 8. A new section of the School Personnel Act,
Section 22-10A-11.9 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:
"22-10A-11.9. [NEW MATERIAL ] SUPERINTENDENT LICENSURE.--
A. A superintendent license is a five-year license
granted to an applicant who meets the qualifications for that
license.
B. The department shall grant a superintendent
license to an applicant who:
(1) has at least one year of experience as a
site administrator;
(2) has successfully completed a department-
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approved aspiring superintendent academy;
(3) is enrolled in a department-approved
superintendent induction and mentoring program, which must be
successfully completed before license renewal; and
(4) meets any additional requirements as
determined by the department.
C. Licenses may be renewed upon successful
completion of department-required professional development."
SECTION 9. A new section of the School Personnel Act,
Section 22-10A-11.10 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:
"22-10A-11.10. [NEW MATERIAL ] LICENSURE FOR SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS NOT LICENSED AS SITE ADMINISTRATORS OR
SUPERINTENDENTS.--The department may establish new licensure
requirements for school administrators who are not licensed as
site administrators or superintendents."
SECTION 10. Section 22-10A-12 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003,
Chapter 153, Section 43, as amended) is amended to read:
"22-10A-12. LIMITED RECIPROCITY.--
A. A teacher or school principal licensed in
another state may be granted a level two, [or ] level [three]
three-A or site administrator license if the teacher or [school
principal] site administrator has teaching experience,
demonstrates the required competencies and meets other
requirements and qualifications for the license for which the
teacher or school principal applies, including clearance of the
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required background check. The local superintendent may
require a mentorship period for the licensee if the
superintendent deems it necessary. A teacher or [school
principal] site administrator who holds an out-of-state license
may apply for a lower level license if the teacher or [school
principal] site administrator does not meet the requirements
for the higher level.
B. The department may grant [a level three-B ] an
initial site administrator license to [a] an out-of-state
candidate who does not meet the other requirements and
qualifications of that license if the candidate: [has a
school administrator license issued in another state and has
worked as a school administrator in good standing for at
least six years]
(1) has a standard, valid, unencumbered
school administrator license from another state;
(2) has worked as a site administrator for
at least three years;
(3) has a recent satisfactory performance
evaluation;
(4) is enrolled in a department-approved
site administrator induction program; and
(5) meets other requirements of the
department."
SECTION 11. Section 22-10A-14 NMSA 1978 (being Laws
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2003, Chapter 153, Section 45, as amended) is amended to
read:
"22-10A-14. CERTIFICATES OF WAIVER.--
A. If a local superintendent or governing
authority of a state agency certifies to the department that
an emergency exists in the hiring of a qualified person, the
department may issue a certificate of teaching waiver or
assignment waiver.
B. The department may issue a certificate of
teaching waiver to a person who holds a baccalaureate degree
but does not meet other requirements for licensure as a level
one teacher. Certificates of teaching waivers are one-year
waivers and may be renewed only if the holder provides
satisfactory evidence of continued progress toward a level
one license.
C. At the request of a local superintendent, the
department may issue a certificate of assignment waiver to a
licensed teacher who is assigned to teach outside the
teacher's teaching endorsement area. A certificate of
assignment waiver may be renewed each school year if the
teacher provides satisfactory evidence of continued progress
toward meeting the requirements for endorsement.
D. If a local superintendent or governing
authority certifies to the department that an emergency
exists in the hiring of a qualified site administrator, the
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department may issue a certificate of principalship waiver to
a person who holds a level two or level three-A license but
does not meet the other requirements for a site administrator
license. Certificates of principalship waivers are one-year
waivers and are not renewable.
E. If a local school board certifies to the
department that an emergency exists in the hiring of a
qualified local superintendent, the department may issue a
certificate of superintendency waiver to a person who holds a
professional site administrator license but does not meet the
other requirements for a superintendent license.
Certificates of superintendency waivers are one-year waivers
and are not renewable. "
SECTION 12. A new section of the Public School Code,
Section 22-10D-1 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:
"22-10D-1. [NEW MATERIAL ] SHORT TITLE.--Chapter 22,
Article 10D NMSA 1978 may be cited as the "School
Administrator Development Act"."
SECTION 13. A new section of the Public School Code,
Section 22-10D-2 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:
"22-10D-2. [NEW MATERIAL ] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the
School Administrator Development Act:
A. "program" means a department-approved school
administrator preparation program; and
B. "site administrator" means a school principal,
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assistant school principal or charter school head
administrator."
SECTION 14. A new section of the Public School Code,
Section 22-10D-3 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:
"22-10D-3. [NEW MATERIAL ] STANDARDS-BASED SITE
ADMINISTRATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS--REQUIREMENTS--DEPARTMENT
APPROVAL.--
A. A public post-secondary education institution,
tribal college or other qualified entity that wants to offer
a school administrator preparation program is required to
have the program approved by the department in accordance
with criteria set forth in the School Administrator
Development Act. The department shall promulgate rules to
implement the provisions of the School Administrator
Development Act.
B. The department shall promulgate rules to
establish criteria for programs that include the following
research-based features of effective leader preparation
programs:
(1) comprehensive curriculum aligned to
national and state standards;
(2) deliberate candidate recruitment and
selection;
(3) robust clinical experience;
(4) cohort structure with trained coaches;
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and
(5) formal partnerships between programs and
school districts and charter schools.
C. The department shall convene a task force of
site administrators, local superintendents and
representatives of educator preparation programs to develop
common performance tasks and rubrics that shall be completed
by applicants for initial or professional site administrator
licenses and superintendent licenses.
D. No later than July 1, 2026, programs shall be
approved by the department before enrolling new students
seeking site administrator licensure. Students enrolled
before the effective date of the School Administrator
Development Act may be granted licensure in accordance with
existing program approvals.
E. The department shall provide by rule a process
for approving new and revised programs. The department shall
consult the professional practices and standards council and
publish a manual outlining the requirements for program
approval. The process shall be aligned with the School
Administrator Development Act and meet the general
requirements of the program as determined by the department.
F. All programs seeking approval pursuant to the
School Administrator Development Act, including those
approved prior to the effective date of that act, shall
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submit an application to the department by January 15, 2026.
Applications shall provide the information outlined in the
school administrator preparation professional practices and
standards manual published in accordance with Subsection E of
this section.
G. The department shall monitor program success
and candidate outcomes through educator accountability report
indicators, including data tracking of graduates through a
completer survey issued to all graduates within one year of
program completion that measures completers' perception of
their own readiness and individual effectiveness in the
position, the number of people licensed through each
licensure pathway and through each clinical experience type
and the number and types of licenses held by each school and
school district leader.
H. Nothing in this section shall preclude the
department from establishing or accepting equivalent
requirements for the purposes of reciprocal licensure for
out-of-state school administrators as provided in Section
22-10A-12 NMSA 1978."
SECTION 15. DELAYED REPEAL.--Sections 22-10A-11.3,
22-10A-11.4 and 22-10A-17.2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2009,
Chapter 117, Section 2, Laws 2015, Chapter 74, Section 2 and
Laws 2017, Chapter 68, Section 1, as amended) are repealed
effective July 1, 2028.
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SECTION 16. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the
provisions of this act is July 1, 2025.
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