New Mexico Statutes
Article 10A - School Personnel
Section 22-10A-1 - Short title.

Chapter 22, Article 10A NMSA 1978 may be cited as the "School Personnel Act".
History: 1953 Comp., § 77-8-1, enacted by Laws 1975, ch. 306, § 1; 1991, ch. 187, § 2; 1978 Comp., § 22-10-1, recompiled and amended as § 22-10A-1 by Laws 2003, ch. 153, § 33.
Recompilations. — Laws 2003, ch. 153, § 33 recompiled and amended former 22-10-1 NMSA 1978 as 22-10A-1 NMSA 1978, effective April 4, 2003.
Repeals and reenactments. — Laws 1975, ch. 306, § 1, repealed 77-8-1, 1953 Comp., as enacted by Laws 1967, ch. 16, § 106, relating to requirements for certificates, and enacted a new section.
The 2003 amendment,effective April 4, 2003, substituted "10A" for "10" following "Article" near the beginning of the section.
The 1991 amendment, effective June 14, 1991, rewrote this section which read "Sections 77-8-1 through 77-8-24 NMSA 1953 may be cited as the 'Certified School Personnel Act'."
Purpose of provisions. — The purpose of the Certified School Personnel Act (now School Personnel Act) is to protect the public against incompetent teachers and to insure proper educational qualifications, personal fitness and a high standard of teaching performance. N.M. State Bd. of Educ. v. Stoudt, 1977-NMSC-099, 91 N.M. 183, 571 P.2d 1186.
By statute, teachers are assured an indefinite tenure of position during satisfactory performance of their duties. Atencio v. Board of Educ., 1982-NMSC-140, 99 N.M. 168, 655 P.2d 1012, superseded by statute, Naranjo v. Board of Educ., 1995-NMSC-015, 119 N.M. 401, 891 P.2d 542.
Public school instructors and administrators are state employees within the constraints of the prohibition against serving in the legislature while receiving compensation as an employee of the state. 1988 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 88-20, overruled by State ex rel. Stratton v. Roswell Indep. Sch., 1991-NMCA-013, 111 N.M. 495, 806 P.2d 1085.
Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — Tests of moral character or fitness as requisite to issuance of teacher's license or certificate, 96 A.L.R.2d 536.
Drugs and narcotics: use of illegal drugs as ground for dismissal of teacher, or denial or cancellation of teacher's certificate, 47 A.L.R.3d 754.
Sexual conduct as ground for dismissal of teacher or denial or revocation of teaching certificate, 78 A.L.R.3d 19.
Student's right to compel school officials to issue degree, diploma, or the like, 11 A.L.R.4th 1182.
Validity, construction, and effect of municipal residency requirements for teachers, principals, and other school employees, 75 A.L.R.4th 272.
78 C.J.S. Schools and School Districts § 197.

Structure New Mexico Statutes

New Mexico Statutes

Chapter 22 - Public Schools

Article 10A - School Personnel

Section 22-10A-1 - Short title.

Section 22-10A-2 - Definitions.

Section 22-10A-3 - License or certificate required; application fee; general duties.

Section 22-10A-4 - Teachers and school administrators; professional status; licensure levels; salary alignment.

Section 22-10A-5 - Background checks; known convictions; alleged ethical misconduct; reporting required; penalty for failure to report.

Section 22-10A-5.1 - Duty to report ethical misconduct; responsibility to investigate ethical misconduct; ethical misconduct report coordination.

Section 22-10A-5.2 - Applicants for school employment, contracts or volunteer positions; requirements for work history and other information.

Section 22-10A-6 - Educational requirements for licensure.

Section 22-10A-7 - Level one licensure.

Section 22-10A-8 - Alternative level one license.

Section 22-10A-8 - Alternative level one license. (Effective July 1, 2022.)

Section 22-10A-8.1 - Saving clause. (Effective July 1, 2022.)

Section 22-10A-9 - Teacher mentorship program for beginning teachers; purpose; department duties.

Section 22-10A-10 - Level two licensure.

Section 22-10A-11 - Level three licensure; tracks for teachers.

Section 22-10A-11.1 - Alternative level two or level three license.

Section 22-10A-11.2 - Deaf and hard-of-hearing teachers; alternative licensure assessment; saving provision.

Section 22-10A-11.3 - Level three-B provisional licensure for school principals.

Section 22-10A-11.4 - Level three-B administrator's license; tracks for school administrator licensure.

Section 22-10A-12 - Limited reciprocity.

Section 22-10A-12.1 - Expedited licensure; military service members, spouses and dependents; waiver of fees; veterans.

Section 22-10A-13 - Native American language and culture certificates.

Section 22-10A-14 - Certificates of waiver.

Section 22-10A-15 - Substitute teacher certificate.

Section 22-10A-16 - Parental notification.

Section 22-10A-17 - Instructional support provider licenses.

Section 22-10A-17.1 - Educational assistants; licensing framework; qualifications; minimum salaries.

Section 22-10A-17.2 - Alternative level three-B licensure; track for instructional support providers.

Section 22-10A-18 - School principals; duties.

Section 22-10A-19 - Teachers and school principals; accountability; evaluations; sick leave; professional development; peer intervention; mentoring.

Section 22-10A-19.1 - Professional development; systemic framework; requirements; department duties.

Section 22-10A-19.2 - Educator accountability report.

Section 22-10A-19.3 - Anti-racism and racial sensitivity training and professional development.

Section 22-10A-20 - Staffing patterns; class load; teaching load.

Section 22-10A-20.1 - Repealed.

Section 22-10A-21 - Licensed school employees; employment contracts; duration.

Section 22-10A-22 - Licensed school employees; notice of reemployment; termination.

Section 22-10A-23 - Licensed school employees; reemployment; acceptance; rejection; binding contract.

Section 22-10A-24 - Termination decisions; local school board; governing authority of a state agency; procedures.

Section 22-10A-25 - Appeals; independent arbitrator; qualifications; procedure; binding decision.

Section 22-10A-26 - Excepted from provisions.

Section 22-10A-27 - Discharge hearing; licensed school employees; procedures.

Section 22-10A-28 - Discharge appeals; licensed school employees; independent arbitrator; qualifications; procedure; binding decision.

Section 22-10A-29 - Compensation payments to discharged personnel.

Section 22-10A-30 - Supervision and correction procedures.

Section 22-10A-31 - Denial, suspension and revocation of licenses.

Section 22-10A-32 - School district personnel, school employees, school volunteers, contractors and contractors' employees; required training program.

Section 22-10A-33 - Repealed.

Section 22-10A-34 - Repealed.

Section 22-10A-35 - Local sabbatical leave program authorized.

Section 22-10A-36 - Approved program required for sabbatical leave.

Section 22-10A-37 - Minimum conditions for sabbatical leave.

Section 22-10A-38 - Pay for sabbatical leave.

Section 22-10A-39 - Noncertified school personnel; salaries.

Section 22-10A-40 - School security personnel; definitions; required training.

Section 22-10A-40.1 - Construction.