Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 6, March 26, 2024
All persons who perform instructional services in early
childhood education (i.e., birth - grade three) in public schools or in
state-supported schools, must hold a valid standard license in early childhood
development issued by the PED. A candidate who applies for licensure in early
childhood education on or after July 1, 2015 must meet the requirements for
either birth - pre-K as stated in 6.61.11 NMAC, or pre-K-grade three as stated
in 6.61.12 NMAC:
A. Persons seeking
licensure in early childhood education pursuant to the provisions of this rule
shall meet the following requirements:
(1)
possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university
and including, for those students first entering a college or university
beginning in the fall of 2017, the following:
(a) nine semester hours in
communication
(b) six semester
hours in mathematics
(c) eight
semester hours in laboratory science
(d) nine semester hours in social and
behavioral science
(e) nine
semester hours in humanities and fine arts; and
(2) earn credits from a regionally accredited
college or university which include: 36-42 semester hours of professional
education in an early childhood education program approved by the PED,
including completion of the PED's approved early childhood education
competencies; and
(3) earn 18 to 30
semester hours of practicum and supervised field experiences beginning in the
first 18 semester hours of instruction in professional early childhood
education to include a mandatory student teaching component in early childhood
education for one of the following age ranges: B-three, three-five, or
five-eight with children who are developing either typically or atypically; and
(a) 150 contact hours of practicum or
supervised field experience at a developmental stage(s) other than the stage
selected for student teaching set forth in Paragraph (3) above; or
(b) evidence of three years of documented,
verified, satisfactory work experiences with at least two of the age ranges set
forth in Paragraph (3) of Subsection A of 6.61.8.8 NMAC above at a center
accredited by the national academy of early childhood programs, a postsecondary
laboratory early care and education setting, or an early childhood program
accredited by the PED; and
(4) in addition to the requirements specified
in Paragraphs (1), (3) and (5) of Subsection A of 6.61.8.8 NMAC, six hours in
the teaching of reading for those who have first entered any college or
university on or after August 1, 2001 regardless of when they graduate or earn
their degree; and
(5) pass all
required portions of the New Mexico teacher assessment (NMTA) or any successor
teacher examination adopted by the PED; and
(6) if new to the profession after June 30,
2006, or hired after the first day of school of the 2002-2003 school year and
assigned to work in a title I targeted assistance program or a title I
school-wide, satisfies the requirements of a highly qualified beginning early
childhood teacher.
B.
Possess valid certificate issued by the national board for professional
teaching standards for the appropriate grade level and type.
