Licensure
Column Title
Column Title
Column Title
Haven’t found what you’re looking for?
Teacher Resident (Pre K-12) (*Effective 7/1/2023)
All persons who perform services as teacher residents in public schools, in those special state-supported schools within state agencies, must hold a valid teacher resident license issued by the (“PED”). Teacher residents shall work, be assigned, and serve as teacher residents in a co-teaching model to a Level II or III mentor teacher duly licensed by the PED.
Teacher Residents cannot be teachers of record. Residents work alongside a strong mentor teacher, as defined in statute and agreed to by local residency partnerships. Residency placements offer predictable schedules, with co-teaching alongside an identified mentor teacher as a central activity. Placements ensure residents engage in classroom work with their mentor teachers throughout the Pre K-12 academic year. All persons holding a teacher resident license are qualified to occasionally serve in a substitute capacity as agreed on by local residency partnerships and adhering to department provided teacher residency guidance.
Initial License
- $40 (non-refundable) fee; and
- Initial application via NMPED Online Licensure Portal; and
- Be in the final year of a department-approved undergraduate educator preparation program at public post- secondary educational institutions and tribal colleges; or
- Hold a bachelor’s degree, be a professional from outside the field of education, and simultaneously enroll in an approved teacher preparation program that has a department-approved teacher preparation program from a regionally accredited college or university; and have strong content knowledge or a record of achievement; and
- Official certification to PED of admission in a department-approved educator preparation program by a public post-secondary educational institution.
The form requires the Educator Preparation Program’s official letterhead, and all fields must be completed. Educators must sign the form, pen to paper, for acknowledgment purposes to be accepted. - Register for background/fingerprints for “Teacher Licensure”.
Upon Program Completion
Teacher Residents (TR) who complete the TR program can be issued full licensure if they have applied for initial licensure ($150.00). Licenses will not automatically advance to full licensure.
Exam Requirements
Beginning in 2024, TRs follow the same exam schedule as the Alternative Licensure program:
- Elementary Teachers: Must pass the 5205: Teaching Reading Praxis exam.
- Special Education Teachers: Must pass the 5355: Foundational Knowledge Praxis exam.
NMPED Correspondence with Educators:
- Consultants correspond by email; please check your spam/junk folder.
Delay of application
- Your application is lacking supporting documents listed in the above check list.
- If your license(s) has expired (and you do not have additional valid licenses on file), and your background was completed 24 months or more, you will need to complete a new background for Teacher Licensure. School Employment backgrounds will not be accepted.