New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 6 - PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
Chapter 60 - SCHOOL PERSONNEL - GENERAL PROVISIONS
Part 5 - COMPETENCY TESTING FOR LICENSURE
Section 6.60.5.14 - LIMITED DISCOVERY RIGHTS
Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
The NMTA is the primary PED-approved teacher test for the state of New Mexico. It was developed by the test administrator under contract with the PED to help identify candidates for educator licensure who have demonstrated the level of knowledge and skills necessary for performing the duties of a teacher in New Mexico's public schools. The PED holds the exclusive copyright on the NMTA. As such, the PED must safeguard not only the copyright but also the confidentiality of the NMTA. Any testing applicant who timely requests a meeting or a hearing as permitted by this rule shall have only limited access to the questions and answers of the applicant's NMTA or related materials.
A. Given the proprietary nature of the NMTA or related materials, under no circumstance shall a testing applicant's disputed or undisputed NMTA be released to a testing applicant, attorney, representative, or the general public.
B. Upon request made to the director, a testing applicant, and an attorney, or representative shall be given as much access to the applicant's disputed or undisputed NMTA or related materials as is deemed reasonably necessary by the director, or hearing officer as the case may be, to prepare for pending meeting or hearing.
C. Anyone given permission to view a testing applicant's disputed or undisputed NMTA or related materials, must sign a confidentiality agreement offered by the PED. An NMTA or related materials may only be viewed during routine office hours of the PED under supervision of a PED employee and on the PED premises. No NMTA or related materials may be written on, marked, electronically copied, hand-duplicated, or otherwise removed from the premises of the PED. The form, subject matter, substance and wording of any NMTA test question or answer may also not be removed from the premises of the PED nor may they be further disclosed in any other way. A person granted permission to review the materials covered by this section may not bring any manual or electronic copying devices to the location where the materials are offered. Such copying devices referred to in the preceding sentence shall include but not be limited to cameras, camcorders, tape recorders, writing utensils, hand-held computers, paper, briefcases, etc. The said confidentiality agreement shall accomplish this as well as other test-security goals. Anyone who enters the PED premises to review the materials covered by this section and who violates or attempts to violate any protected security measure may, at the discretion of the PED, be removed from the premises and be considered to have forfeited any additional access to an applicant's disputed or undisputed NMTA or related materials.
D. The original or copy of any NMTA or related materials used as evidence at any meeting or hearing shall also be subject to confidentiality by all attendees and participants. Accordingly, all such meetings or hearings shall be closed to the public.
