Hard-to-Staff Pay Differential

The New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED), Office of Special Education, is pleased to announce a partnership with Region 9 Education Cooperative for the Hard-to-Staff Pay Differential for the 2025–2026 school year.

The Hard-to-Staff Pay Differential Retention Stipend is designed to support certified special education teachers who meet the following criteria:

• Currently teaching in a special education classroom with an assigned caseload of students under Code 97 or Code 151
• Certified license in special education
• Completing their fourth year or beyond of teaching
• Have remained in the same school district since the 2022–23 school year under Code 97 or Code 151

Hard-to-Staff Pay Differential Retention Stipend Process:

• Special education teacher eligibility is verified
• School district/charter school issues the retention stipend to the special education teacher(s)
• Region 9 Education Cooperative reimburses the district/charter school

Eligible special education teachers will receive their $2,500 retention stipend by June of 2026.

For additional information or questions regarding eligibility or reimbursement, please contact the Region 9 team at hard2staff@regionix.org.