This bill aims to enhance the quality of education in New Mexico by increasing the minimum salaries for teachers, school counselors, and school administrators, while also mandating the inclusion of the "science of reading" in public post-secondary teacher preparation programs. Specifically, it establishes a new section in Chapter 21 NMSA 1978 that outlines the requirements for teacher preparation programs to include structured literacy and scientifically based reading instruction. The bill emphasizes the importance of high-quality instructional materials and mandates that teacher candidates receive extensive supervised field experience in implementing these reading instruction techniques. Additionally, the Public Education Department is tasked with developing standards and monitoring compliance with these new requirements.

Furthermore, the bill amends existing licensure laws to set minimum salary thresholds for different levels of teaching licenses, with level one teachers earning at least $55,000, level two teachers at least $65,000, and level three-A teachers at least $75,000. It also stipulates that teacher preparation programs must demonstrate alignment with state literacy standards and may face corrective actions if they fail to comply. The provisions of this act are set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 22-10A-7, 22-10A-10, 22-10A-11
Final Version: 22-10A-7, 22-10A-10, 22-10A-11