RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; REQUIRING READING COURSES FOR TEACHER CERTIFICATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 22-2-8.7 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1986, Chapter 33, Section 8, as amended) is amended to read:

"22-2-8.7. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.--

A. The state board shall require any person seeking certification in elementary or secondary education to complete the following minimum requirements in the college of arts and sciences:

(1) twelve hours in English;

(2) twelve hours in history, including American history and western civilization;

(3) six hours in mathematics;

(4) six hours in government, economics or sociology;

(5) twelve hours in science, including biology, chemistry, physics, geology, zoology and botany; and

(6) six hours in fine arts.

B. In addition to the requirements specified in Subsection A of this section, the state board shall require that a person seeking standard or alternative elementary certification shall have completed six hours of reading courses, and a person seeking standard or alternative secondary certification shall have completed three hours of reading courses in subject matter content. The state board of education shall establish requirements that provide a reasonable period of time to comply with the provisions of this section.

C. The state board shall require, prior to certification, no less than fourteen weeks of student teaching, a portion of which shall occur in the first thirty credit hours taken in the college of education and shall be under the direct supervision of a certified school instructor and a portion of which shall occur in the student's senior year with the student teacher being directly responsible for the classroom.

D. Nothing in this section shall preclude the state board from establishing or accepting equivalent requirements for purposes of reciprocal certification or minimum requirements for alternative certification.

E. Vocational teacher preparatory programs may be exempt from Subsections A through C of this section upon a determination by the state board that other certification requirements are more appropriate for vocational teacher preparatory programs."

Section 2. TEMPORARY PROVISION--APPLICABLE STUDENTS.--The requirements in Subsection B of Section 22-2-8.7 NMSA 1978 shall apply to students first entering a college or university beginning in the fall of 2001.

HB 281

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