New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 5 - POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION
Chapter 7 - TUITION AND FINANCIAL AID
Part 13 - TEACHER LOAN-FOR-SERVICE ACT
Section 5.7.13.7 - DEFINITIONS

A. "Department" means the New Mexico higher education department.

B. "Committee" means the teaching professions advisory committee of the department.

C. "Loan" means a grant of funds to defray the costs incidental to an eligible teacher preparation education, under a contract between the department and a student, requiring repayment with services or repayment of principal and interest and any fees.

D. "Student" means a United States citizen or eligible non-citizen and resident of New Mexico who is enrolled in or accepted by an undergraduate or graduate teacher preparation program at a regionally accredited post-secondary educational institution in New Mexico.

E. "Teacher preparation program" means a program that has been formally approved as meeting the requirements of the public education department and that leads to initial licensure or to additional licensure endorsements, including a program in a two-year post-secondary educational institution that meets the requirements for a teacher education transfer module established pursuant to Subsection C of Section 21-1B-4 NMSA 1978.

F. "Eligible institution" means an accredited post-secondary educational institution in New Mexico offering a teacher education program which meets the requirements of the public education department.

G. "Service" means full-time, on site practice as a certified/licensed public school teacher in a designated teacher shortage area of New Mexico.

H. "Teacher shortage area" means one of the areas of unmet teacher demand which may be either geographic locations or specific teaching fields.

I. "Extenuating circumstances" means circumstances not within the control of the recipient.