New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 6 - PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
Chapter 60 - SCHOOL PERSONNEL - GENERAL PROVISIONS
Part 5 - COMPETENCY TESTING FOR LICENSURE
Section 6.60.5.10 - EXCEPTIONS

(1) The provisions of this paragraph shall apply to an individual who holds at least a bachelors degree, has successfully completed a teacher preparation program, can verify through a current audiological evaluation that the individual is deaf or hard of hearing and requests an alternative assessment of the NMTA.

(2) As used in this section, "deaf of hard of hearing," means: a person who is prelingually deaf or hard of hearing. Prelingual means an individual who acquired a permanent hearing loss prior to five (5) years of age that prevents the processing of linguistic information through hearing with or without amplification or other hearing assistance devices.

(3) As used in this section, "audiological evaluation" means: a hearing assessment which includes otoscopic inspection, tympanometry, unaided pure tone air and bone conduction threshold testing, as well as speech awareness and speech reception threshold testing (if applicable).

(4) The applicant must obtain an audiological evaluation from a licensed audiologist to verify the required minimum of a permanent, moderate hearing loss as determined by a pure tone average (PTA) at or greater than 41dBHL in each ear. The evaluation must be completed on a PED approved form and dated within one (1) calendar year of application submission.

(5) A person that meets the eligibility requirements of this provision and seeking to demonstrate competencies through the alternative assessment must submit the PED approved "alternative assessment request form" as part of their complete application. The information obtained from the request form will be used to determine which alternative assessments the applicant requires and possible dates for administration of the teacher competency and CKA portions of the alternative assessment.

(6) Individuals granted access to the alternative assessment will have their alternative assessment reviewed by a committee that consists of:

(7) A person that meets the eligibility requirements of this provision and seeking to demonstrate competencies through the alternative assessment is encouraged to request alternative testing arrangements and attempt all portions of the NMTA with alternative testing arrangements. Requests for alternative testing arrangements should describe accommodations previously received by the candidate during past standardized test administrations, documentation of audiological evaluations, and suggested modifications from a licensed audiologist. Applicants for this license that have earned a passing score of at least 240 on basic skills portion of the NMTA, teacher competency, or CKA are exempt from completing the alternative assessment in the portion they have passed. The PLB at the PED will assist eligible candidates in submitting requests for alternative testing arrangements.

(8) Individuals seeking an alternative assessment will demonstrate teacher competency and content knowledge by presenting a hard copy of portfolio in a face-to-face setting to the alternative assessment review committee. Applicants must obtain a passing score of 70% or greater on the teacher competency or content knowledge hard copy portfolio review to receive a score of pass.

(9) Applicants for this license will be charged the same amount(s) for the alternative assessment that registrants for the NMTA are charged plus the licensure-processing fee. These fees are due when the applicant submits a complete application. Applications without the appropriate fees will not be accepted.

(10) Applicants that are unsuccessful in obtaining a passing score of 70% on the alternative assessment may reapply and must submit the applicable fees.