NM
New Mexico Senate Bill SB343

New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

New Mexico Senate Bill SB343 Compare Versions

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1-SB 343
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28+SENATE BILL 343
29+57
30+TH LEGISLATURE
31+-
32+
33+STATE
34+
35+OF
36+
37+NEW
38+
39+MEXICO
40+
41+-
42+ FIRST SESSION
43+,
44+
45+2025
46+INTRODUCED BY
47+William P. Soules
2848 AN ACT
29-RELATING TO EDUCATION; REMOVING EXCEPTIONS TO LEVEL ONE,
30-LEVEL TWO AND LEVEL THREE-A LICENSED TEACHER SALARY RATES;
31-AMENDING SECTIONS 22-10A-7, 22-10A-10 AND 22-10A-11 NMSA 1978
32-(BEING LAWS 2003, CHAPTER 153, SECTIONS 38, 41 AND 42, AS
33-AMENDED).
49+RELATING TO EDUCATION; REMOVING EXCEPTIONS TO LEVEL ONE, LEVEL
50+TWO AND LEVEL THREE-A LICENSED TEACHER SALARY RATES; AMENDING
51+SECTIONS 22-10A-7, 22-10A-10 AND 22-10A-11 NMSA 1978 (BEING
52+LAWS 2003, CHAPTER 153, SECTIONS 38, 41 AND 42, AS AMENDED).
3453 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
3554 SECTION 1. Section 22-10A-7 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003,
3655 Chapter 153, Section 38, as amended) is amended to read:
3756 "22-10A-7. LEVEL ONE LICENSURE.--
3857 A. A level one license is a provisional five-year
39-license for beginning teachers that requires as a condition
40-of licensure that the licensee undergo a formal mentorship
41-program for at least one full school year and an annual
42-intensive performance evaluation by a school administrator
43-for at least three full school years before applying for a
44-level two license.
45-B. Each school district, in accordance with
46-department rules, shall provide for the mentorship and
47-evaluation of level one teachers. At the end of each year
48-and at the end of the license period, the level one teacher
49-shall be evaluated for competency. If the teacher fails
50-to demonstrate satisfactory progress and competence
51-annually, the teacher may be terminated as provided in SB 343
52-Page 2
58+license for beginning teachers that requires as a condition of
59+licensure that the licensee undergo a formal mentorship program
60+for at least one full school year and an annual intensive
61+performance evaluation by a school administrator for at least
62+three full school years before applying for a level two
63+.230049.2 underscored material = new
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78-Section 22-10A-24 NMSA 1978. If the teacher has not
79-demonstrated satisfactory progress and competence by the end
80-of the five-year period, the teacher shall not be granted a
81-level two license.
90+license.
91+B. Each school district, in accordance with
92+department rules, shall provide for the mentorship and
93+evaluation of level one teachers. At the end of each year and
94+at the end of the license period, the level one teacher shall
95+be evaluated for competency. If the teacher fails to
96+demonstrate satisfactory progress and competence annually, the
97+teacher may be terminated as provided in Section 22-10A-24 NMSA
98+1978. If the teacher has not demonstrated satisfactory
99+progress and competence by the end of the five-year period, the
100+teacher shall not be granted a level two license.
82101 C. Except in exigent circumstances defined by
83102 department rule, a level one license shall not be extended
84103 beyond the initial period.
85104 D. The department shall issue a standard level one
86105 license to an applicant who is at least eighteen years of age
87106 who:
88107 (1) holds a baccalaureate degree from an
89108 accredited educational institution;
90-(2) has successfully completed a
91-department-approved teacher preparation program from a
92-nationally accredited or state-approved educational
93-institution;
109+(2) has successfully completed a department-
110+approved teacher preparation program from a nationally
111+accredited or state-approved educational institution;
94112 (3) has passed the New Mexico teacher
95113 assessments examination, including for elementary licensure
96114 beginning January 1, 2013, a rigorous assessment of the
97-candidate's knowledge of the science of teaching reading; and
98-(4) meets other qualifications for level
99-one licensure, including clearance of the required
100-background check.
101-E. The department shall issue a standard level one
102-vocational license to an applicant who meets the requirements SB 343
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143+candidate's knowledge of the science of teaching reading; and
144+(4) meets other qualifications for level one
145+licensure, including clearance of the required background
146+check.
147+E. The department shall issue a standard level one
148+vocational license to an applicant who meets the requirements
129149 of Subsection D of this section or to an applicant who is at
130150 least twenty-three years of age and who:
131151 (1) has five or more years of professional
132-experience in the vocational field in which the applicant
133-will teach; and
152+experience in the vocational field in which the applicant will
153+teach; and
134154 (2) meets other qualifications for level one
135155 licensure, including clearance of a background check pursuant
136156 to Section 22-10A-5 NMSA 1978.
137157 F. The department shall issue an alternative level
138158 one license to an applicant who meets the requirements of
139159 Section 22-10A-8 NMSA 1978.
140160 G. The department shall establish competencies and
141161 qualifications for specific grade levels, types and subject
142162 areas of level one licensure, including early childhood,
143163 elementary, middle school, secondary, special and vocational
144164 education.
145-H. The minimum salary for a level one teacher is
146-fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for a standard nine and
147-one-half month contract; provided that teachers in an
148-extended learning time program or K-12 plus program shall
149-receive additional salary at the same rate as their base
150-salary for that teaching time.
151-I. After the issuance of a license, a license
152-holder shall not be required to meet changed requirements to
153-maintain the license until such time as the license expires SB 343
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165+H. The minimum salary for a level one teacher
166+[except for a teacher licensed pursuant to Subsection E of this
167+section] is fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for a standard
168+.230049.2
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180-and the license holder seeks renewal of the license."
181-SECTION 2. Section 22-10A-10 NMSA 1978 (being Laws
182-2003, Chapter 153, Section 41, as amended) is amended to
183-read:
196+nine and one-half month contract; provided that teachers in an
197+extended learning time program or [K-5 ] K-12 plus program shall
198+receive additional salary at the same rate as their base salary
199+for that teaching time.
200+I. After the issuance of a license, a license
201+holder shall not be required to meet changed requirements to
202+maintain the license until such time as the license expires and
203+the license holder seeks renewal of the license."
204+SECTION 2. Section 22-10A-10 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003,
205+Chapter 153, Section 41, as amended) is amended to read:
184206 "22-10A-10. LEVEL TWO LICENSURE.--
185207 A. A level two license is a nine-year license
186208 granted to a teacher who meets the qualifications for that
187209 level and who annually demonstrates essential competency to
188210 teach. If a level two teacher does not demonstrate essential
189211 competency in a given school year, the school district shall
190212 provide the teacher with additional professional development
191-and peer intervention during the following school year. If
192-by the end of that school year the teacher fails to
193-demonstrate essential competency, a school district may
194-choose not to contract with the teacher to teach in the
195-classroom.
213+and peer intervention during the following school year. If by
214+the end of that school year the teacher fails to demonstrate
215+essential competency, a school district may choose not to
216+contract with the teacher to teach in the classroom.
196217 B. The department shall issue a level two license
197-to an applicant who has successfully taught at least three,
198-but no more than five, years as a level one teacher or an
199-alternative level one teacher, or a combination of the two,
200-or is granted reciprocity as provided by department rules.
201-An applicant for a level two license shall:
202-(1) demonstrate essential competency
203-required by the department as verified by the local
204-superintendent through the highly objective uniform statewide SB 343
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218+to an applicant who has successfully taught at least three, but
219+no more than five, years as a level one teacher or an
220+alternative level one teacher, or a combination of the two, or
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231-standard of evaluation; and
249+is granted reciprocity as provided by department rules. An
250+applicant for a level two license shall:
251+(1) demonstrate essential competency required
252+by the department as verified by the local superintendent
253+through the highly objective uniform statewide standard of
254+evaluation; and
232255 (2) meet other qualifications as required by
233256 the department.
234257 C. The department shall provide for qualifications
235-for specific grade levels, types and subject areas of level
236-two licensure, including early childhood, elementary, middle,
258+for specific grade levels, types and subject areas of level two
259+licensure, including early childhood, elementary, middle,
237260 secondary, special and vocational education.
238-D. The minimum salary for a level two teacher is
239-sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) for a standard nine and
240-one-half month contract; provided that teachers in an
241-extended learning time program or K-12 plus program shall
242-receive additional salary at the same rate as their base
243-salary for that teaching time."
244-SECTION 3. Section 22-10A-11 NMSA 1978 (being Laws
245-2003, Chapter 153, Section 42, as amended) is amended to
246-read:
247-"22-10A-11. LEVEL THREE LICENSURE--TRACKS FOR
248-TEACHERS.--
261+D. The minimum salary for a level two teacher
262+[except for those teachers with a vocational education license ]
263+is sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) for a standard nine and
264+one-half month contract; provided that teachers in an extended
265+learning time program or [K-5 ] K-12 plus program shall receive
266+additional salary at the same rate as their base salary for
267+that teaching time."
268+SECTION 3. Section 22-10A-11 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003,
269+Chapter 153, Section 42, as amended) is amended to read:
270+"22-10A-11. LEVEL THREE LICENSURE--TRACKS FOR TEACHERS.--
249271 A. A level three-A license is a nine-year license
250272 granted to a teacher who meets the qualifications for that
251273 level and who annually demonstrates instructional leader
252-competencies. If a level three-A teacher does not
253-demonstrate essential competency in a given school year, the
254-school district shall provide the teacher with additional
255-professional development and peer intervention during the SB 343
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282-following school year. If by the end of that school year the
283-teacher fails to demonstrate essential competency, a school
284-district may choose not to contract with the teacher to teach
285-in the classroom.
302+competencies. If a level three-A teacher does not demonstrate
303+essential competency in a given school year, the school
304+district shall provide the teacher with additional professional
305+development and peer intervention during the following school
306+year. If by the end of that school year the teacher fails to
307+demonstrate essential competency, a school district may choose
308+not to contract with the teacher to teach in the classroom.
286309 B. The department shall grant a level three-A
287-license to an applicant who has been a level two teacher for
288-at least three years and holds a post-baccalaureate degree
289-or national board for professional teaching standards
290-certification; demonstrates instructional leader competence
291-as required by the department and verified by the local
310+license to an applicant who has been a level two teacher for at
311+least three years and holds a post-baccalaureate degree or
312+national board for professional teaching standards
313+certification; demonstrates instructional leader competence as
314+required by the department and verified by the local
292315 superintendent through the highly objective uniform statewide
293-standard of evaluation; and meets other qualifications for
294-the license.
316+standard of evaluation; and meets other qualifications for the
317+license.
295318 C. The department shall grant a level three-A
296319 license to an applicant seeking a level three-A vocational
297320 education license who does not meet the requirements of
298-Subsection B of this section, but who otherwise is eligible
299-for a level three-A license, provided that the applicant:
300-(1) has been a level two teacher for at
301-least three years;
302-(2) provides documentation from an
303-accredited higher education institution of the applicant's
304-eligibility to teach dual-credit courses at the
305-post-secondary level in the field in which the applicant
306-is teaching; or SB 343
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321+Subsection B of this section, but who otherwise is eligible for
322+a level three-A license, provided that the applicant:
323+(1) has been a level two teacher for at least
324+three years;
325+(2) provides documentation from an accredited
326+higher education institution of the applicant's eligibility to
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333-(3) completes a department-approved
334-career-technical education training certificate course of
335-study that is a minimum of sixteen hours at an accredited
336-higher education institution.
355+teach dual-credit courses at the post-secondary level in the
356+field in which the applicant is teaching; or
357+(3) completes a department-approved career-
358+technical education training certificate course of study that
359+is a minimum of sixteen hours at an accredited higher education
360+institution.
337361 D. The minimum salary for a level three-A teacher
338-is seventy thousand dollars ($70,000) for a standard nine and
339-one-half month contract; provided that teachers in an
340-extended learning time program or K-12 plus program shall
341-receive additional salary at the same rate as their base
342-salary for that teaching time.
362+[except teachers licensed pursuant to Subsection C of this
363+section] is seventy thousand dollars ($70,000) for a standard
364+nine and one-half month contract; provided that teachers in an
365+extended learning time program or [K-5 ] K-12 plus program shall
366+receive additional salary at the same rate as their base salary
367+for that teaching time.
343368 E. The minimum salary for a counselor who holds a
344369 level three or three-A license as provided in the School
345-Personnel Act and rules promulgated by the department shall
346-be the same as provided for level three-A teachers pursuant
347-to Subsection D of this section."
370+Personnel Act and rules promulgated by the department shall be
371+the same as provided for level three-A teachers pursuant to
372+Subsection D of this section."
348373 SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the
349374 provisions of this act is July 1, 2025.
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