HOUSE BILL 22
56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2024
INTRODUCED BY
Joy Garratt and Raymundo Lara and Brian G. Baca
FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE
AN ACT
RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; CREATING THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS ACT; REQUIRING SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS OFFERED BY POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OR OTHER APPROVED PROVIDERS TO MEET NATIONAL AND STATE STANDARDS EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS; SPECIFYING QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE CLINICAL EXPERIENCES AS PART OF A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM; PROVIDING RULEMAKING AUTHORITY TO THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT; CREATING THE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE WITHIN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT; PROVIDING REQUIREMENTS FOR LEVEL THREE-B LICENSURE FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS; CHANGING THE MINIMUM SALARY AMOUNT OF AN ALTERNATIVE LEVEL THREE B-LICENSED SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OR ASSISTANT SCHOOL PRINCIPAL; REPEALING THE SCHOOL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE WITHIN THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:
"[NEW MATERIAL] SHORT TITLE.--Sections 1 through 4 of this act may be cited as the "School Administrator Preparation Program Requirements Act"."
SECTION 2. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:
"[NEW MATERIAL] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the School Administrator Preparation Program Requirements Act:
A. "institute" means the school leadership institute; and
B. "program" means a school administrator preparation program in New Mexico."
SECTION 3. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:
"[NEW MATERIAL] STANDARDS-BASED SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS--REQUIREMENTS--DEPARTMENT APPROVAL.--
A. Any public post-secondary educational institution, tribal college or other qualified entity that wants to offer a program is required to have the program approved by the department under new criteria set forth in the School Administrator Preparation Program Requirements Act. The department shall promulgate rules as necessary to implement the provisions of the School Administrator Preparation Program Requirements Act.
B. The department shall establish, by rule, criteria for programs that include the following research-based features of effective leader preparation programs:
(1) coherent curriculum aligned to national and state standards;
(2) deliberate candidate recruitment and selection;
(3) robust clinical experience through a full- academic-year, paid residency;
(4) cohort structure with trained coaches; and
(5) formal partnerships between the program and school districts and charter schools.
C. No later than July 1, 2026, programs shall be approved by the department before enrolling new students seeking school administrator licensure. Students enrolled before the effective date of the School Administrator Preparation Program Requirements Act may be granted licensure in accordance with existing program approvals.
D. The department shall create a process for approving new and revised programs. The department shall consult the professional practices and standards committee and publish a manual outlining the requirements for program approval. The process shall be aligned with the School Administrator Preparation Program Requirements Act and meet the general requirements of programs as determined by the department.
E. All programs seeking approval, including those previously approved, shall submit an application to the department by January 15, 2026. Applications shall provide the information outlined in the school administrator preparation professional practices and standards committee manual developed and published pursuant to Subsection D of this section.
F. The department shall monitor program success and candidate outcomes through educator accountability report indicators, including data tracking of graduates through a completer survey issued to all graduates within one year of program completion that measures completers' perception of their own readiness and individual effectiveness in the position.
G. Nothing in this section shall preclude the department from establishing or accepting equivalent requirements for the purposes of reciprocal licensure for out- of-state school administrators.
H. If a local superintendent or governing authority of a public school certifies to the department that an emergency exists in the hiring of a qualified school principal, the department may issue a certificate of principalship waiver to a person who holds a level two or level three-A license but does not meet the other requirements for a level three-B license. Certificates of principalship waivers are one-year waivers and may not be renewed."
SECTION 4. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:
"[NEW MATERIAL] SCHOOL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE--CREATED--DUTIES.--
A. The "school leadership institute" is created and administratively attached to the department. The department shall provide administrative services for the institute. The institute shall provide a comprehensive and cohesive framework for preparing, mentoring and providing professional development for school principals and other public school leaders.
B. The institute shall offer at least the following programs:
(1) licensure preparation for aspiring school principals;
(2) mentoring for new school principals and other public school leaders;
(3) intensive support for school principals at schools in need of improvement;
(4) professional development for aspiring local superintendents; and
(5) mentoring for new local superintendents.
C. The institute shall partner with state agencies, public schools, post-secondary educational institutions and professional associations to identify, recruit and mentor candidates for the institute."
SECTION 5. Section 22-10A-11.3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2009, Chapter 117, Section 2) is amended to read:
"22-10A-11.3. LEVEL THREE-B PROVISIONAL LICENSURE FOR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS.--
A. A school district that has a shortage of qualified school principal candidates may request that the department issue a provisional three-B license to a level two teacher whom the school district believes has the potential to be an effective school principal.
B. To qualify for a provisional three-B license, the candidate shall:
(1) meet the requirements for a level
three-A license;
(2) be enrolled in a department-approved induction and mentoring program in the school district; and
(3) be accepted into a department-approved school administrator preparation program.
C. The provisional license is a four-year license and is not renewable. To maintain the provisional license, the licensee must receive satisfactory evaluations each year from the school district's mentoring program and from the school administrator preparation program. At the end of the four years, the provisional license may be converted to a regular level three-B license if the candidate:
(1) satisfactorily completes the school district's mentoring program; and
(2) satisfactorily completes the department- approved school administrator preparation program, including the year-long residency or an alternative clinical experience approved by the department when the full-academic-year, paid residency is not feasible."
SECTION 6. Section 22-10A-17.2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2017, Chapter 68, Section 1) is amended to read:
"22-10A-17.2. ALTERNATIVE LEVEL THREE-B LICENSURE--TRACK FOR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDERS.--
A. An alternative level three-B license is a five-year license granted to a school administrator applicant who meets the qualifications for that level. Licenses may be renewed upon satisfactory annual demonstration of instructional leader and administrative competency.
B. The department shall grant an alternative level three-B license to an applicant who is licensed by the department as a school counselor, school social worker, school nurse, speech-language pathologist, psychologist, physical therapist, physical therapy assistant, occupational therapist, occupational therapy assistant, recreational therapist, marriage and family therapist, interpreter for the deaf or diagnostician and who:
(1) holds a post-baccalaureate degree;
(2) has satisfactorily completed department-approved courses in administration [and], including a department-approved [administration apprenticeship program] residency; and
(3) demonstrates instructional leader competence required by the department and verified by the local superintendent through the highly objective uniform statewide standard of evaluation.
C. The minimum annual salary for an alternative level three-B licensed school principal or assistant school principal shall be [fifty thousand dollars ($50,000)] the minimum salary for a level three-A teacher multiplied by the applicable responsibility factor."
SECTION 7. APPROPRIATION.--Two million dollars ($2,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the public education department for expenditure in fiscal year 2025 and subsequent fiscal years to carry out the purposes of the School Administrator Preparation Program Requirements Act. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund.
SECTION 8. REPEAL.--Section 21-1-44 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2010, Chapter 65, Section 1) is repealed.
SECTION 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2024.
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