MATH REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHING LICENSE, the official text

SENATE BILL 29

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

William P. Soules and Debra M. Sariñana and Catherine J. Cullen

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; INCREASING MATHEMATICS
REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHING LICENSURE OR ENDORSEMENT; PROVIDING
FOR A MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK,
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PLANS, SCREENING ASSESSMENTS, SUPPORT
PLANS, MULTILEVEL SUPPORTS AND OTHER MEANS TO IMPROVE STUDENT
SUCCESS IN MATHEMATICS; PROVIDING POWERS AND DUTIES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 22-10A-6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1986,
Chapter 33, Section 8, as amended) is amended to read:

"22-10A-6. EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE.--

A. The department shall require a person seeking
licensure or reciprocity in elementary, special, early
childhood or secondary education to have completed the
following minimum requirements in the college of arts and
sciences:

(1) nine semester hours in communication;

(2) six semester hours in mathematics;

(3) eight semester hours in laboratory
science;

(4) nine semester hours in social and
behavioral science; and

(5) nine semester hours in humanities and fine
arts.

B. In addition to the requirements specified in
Subsections A and C of this section, the department shall
require that a person seeking standard or alternative
elementary licensure shall have completed six hours of reading
courses and six hours of mathematics methods courses. A person
seeking standard or alternative secondary licensure shall have
completed three hours of reading courses in subject matter
content [The department shall establish requirements that
provide a reasonable period of time to comply with the
provisions of this subsection] and, if seeking a mathematics
endorsement, six hours of mathematics methods courses. The
hours of mathematics methods required by this 2026 act shall
apply to licenses issued on or after July 1, 2027.

C. Except for licensure by reciprocity, the
department shall require, prior to initial licensure, no less
than sixteen 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 teacher 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
department from establishing or accepting equivalent
requirements for purposes of reciprocal licensure or minimum
requirements for alternative licensure.

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

F. Before December 31, 2021, the department shall
create a license endorsement in secondary computer science
available to all teachers who hold a valid license and
demonstrate sufficient content knowledge in computer science as
determined by the department. The department shall consult
with computer science education experts with experience in
creating or supporting computer science endorsement pathways
when developing computer science endorsement requirements."

SECTION 2. Section 22-15E-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2007,
Chapter 44, Section 1 and Laws 2007, Chapter 239, Section 1) is
amended to read:

"22-15E-1. SHORT TITLE.--[This act] Chapter 22, Article
15E NMSA 1978 may be cited as the "Mathematics and Science
Education Act"."

SECTION 3. Section 22-15E-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2007,
Chapter 44, Section 2 and Laws 2007, Chapter 239, Section 2) is
amended to read:

"22-15E-2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Mathematics and
Science Education Act:

A. "bureau" means the mathematics and science
bureau;

B. "chief" means the chief of the bureau; [and]

C. "council" means the mathematics and science
advisory council;

D. "mathematics difficulty" means a student's
inability to perform at grade level when learning or applying
mathematical concepts, as determined by screening or other
assessments;

E. "mathematics instructional leadership framework"
means a structured, evidence-based model developed by the
department to strengthen mathematics teaching and learning;

F. "mathematics professional learning plan" means a
plan developed by a school district or charter school on a
department-provided template that is aligned with the
department's mathematics instructional leadership framework;

G. "mathematics screening assessment" means a
department-approved, grade-specific and nondiagnostic
assessment administered at the beginning of the school year to
assess a student's performance in mathematics; and

H. "mathematics support plan" means a written plan
developed for a student on a department-provided template that
identifies individualized and differentiated areas of
mathematics learning needs and that describes specific
intervention strategies that will be provided at school and
strategies that can be used by parents to support student
learning."

SECTION 4. Section 22-15E-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2007,
Chapter 44, Section 3 and Laws 2007, Chapter 239, Section 3) is
amended to read:

"22-15E-3. BUREAU CREATED--DUTIES.--

A. The "mathematics and science bureau" is created
in the department. The secretary shall appoint the chief as
provided in the Public Education Department Act.

B. The bureau shall:

(1) administer the provisions of the
Mathematics and Science Education Act;

(2) provide staff support for and coordinate
the activities of the council;

(3) work with the council to develop a
statewide strategic plan for mathematics and science education
in the public schools and coordinate education activities with
other state agencies, the federal government, business
consortia and public or private organizations or other persons;

(4) ensure that school districts' plans
include goals for improving mathematics and science education
aligned to the department's strategic plan;

(5) recommend funding mechanisms that support
the improvement of mathematics and science education in the
state, including web-based mathematics and science curricula,
mentoring and web-based homework assistance;

(6) promote partnerships among public schools,
higher education institutions, government, business and
educational and community organizations to improve the
mathematics and science education in the state;

(7) [develop and evaluate curricula] monitor
the use of instructional materials and evaluate instructional
programs and professional [development] learning programs in
mathematics and science [aligned] to ensure alignment with
state academic content and performance standards; [and]

(8) assess the outcomes of efforts to improve
mathematics and science education using existing data;

(9) in collaboration with the council, develop
guidelines for school districts and charter schools to use when
developing mathematics professional learning plans, mathematics
screening assessments in kindergarten through third grade,
mathematics support plans and mathematics intervention
services; and

(10) provide training and technical assistance
to school districts and charter schools on developing
mathematics professional learning plans, implementing
mathematics screening assessments, developing mathematics
support plans and mathematics interventions, including
selecting evidence-based instructional materials, monitoring
student progress and involving parents."

SECTION 5. A new section of the Mathematics and Science
Education Act is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP
FRAMEWORK--MATHEMATICS PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PLANS.--

A. By December 31, 2026, the department and bureau,
in consultation with the council, shall develop and publish a
mathematics instructional leadership framework that includes
the following:

(1) defined roles and responsibilities of
instructional leaders, including principals, instructional
coaches and teacher leaders, in supporting mathematics
instruction;

(2) standards for high-quality mathematics
instruction and professional learning aligned with state
academic content and performance standards and evidence-based
research;

(3) core competencies for teachers and
instructional leaders in mathematics pedagogy, data use and
student engagement;

(4) guidance for implementing mathematics
coaching, mentoring and collaborative planning structures to
improve classroom practice;

(5) procedures for monitoring, evaluating,
supporting and continuously improving mathematics teaching and
learning at the public school, school district and state
levels; and

(6) a description of technical assistance that
may be provided to school districts and charter schools to
support mathematics instruction.

B. Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, each
school district and charter school shall develop and implement
elementary and secondary mathematics professional learning plans
that include:

(1) goals for teacher content knowledge and
instructional practices in mathematics;

(2) a description of professional learning
activities and instructional supports; and

(3) a plan to monitor and evaluate
professional learning in mathematics over time.

C. Mathematics professional learning plans shall be
aligned to the department's mathematics instructional leadership
framework and shall be developed in cooperation with teachers
and public school administrators and shall be updated at least
once every two years."

SECTION 6. A new section of the Mathematics and Science
Education Act is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE
MATHEMATICS SCREENING AND EVALUATIONS--INTERVENTIONS--SUPPORT.--

A. Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, each
school district and charter school shall administer a
mathematics screening assessment within thirty calendar days of
the start of the school year to every student in kindergarten
through third grade.

B. If a school determines that a student in
kindergarten through third grade displays characteristics of a
mathematics difficulty or is at risk of not achieving grade-
level proficiency in mathematics as determined by an analysis of
the student's mathematics screening assessment, the public
school shall, within thirty calendar days of the determination,
notify the student's parent of the results of the mathematics
screening assessment and provide a mathematics support plan that
includes:

(1) a description of the student's mathematics
screening assessment results and specific areas of need;

(2) mathematics interventions that will be
provided to the student;

(3) goals and a time line for monitoring
student progress; and

(4) strategies that can be used by parents to
support student learning.

C. Mathematics interventions provided to students
shall be aligned to the department's mathematics instructional
leadership framework and the school's mathematics professional
learning plan and shall:

(1) include a multilayered system of support
that progresses from less intensive to more intensive based on
the student's needs;

(2) be aligned to core instruction;

(3) be targeted, differentiated and
supplemental to core instruction; and

(4) be aligned with evidence-based
instructional strategies.

D. The department shall provide guidance on the
interventions and multilayered system of support that a public
school is required to provide pursuant to Subsection C of this
section."

SECTION 7. A new section of the Mathematics and Science
Education Act is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] ADMINISTRATION--REPORTING.--

A. By December 31, 2026, the department, in
consultation with the council, shall promulgate rules to
implement the provisions of the Mathematics and Science
Education Act. Rules shall include criteria for approved
mathematics screening assessments, standards for the mathematics
instructional leadership framework and mathematics professional
learning plans and identified mathematics interventions.

B. No later than July 1, 2028 and no later than July
1 of each year thereafter, the department shall prepare and
submit to the governor and the legislative education study
committee a report that includes the following:

(1) the number of students by grade level
identified with mathematics difficulty and served through
mathematics support plans;

(2) the types and effectiveness of
interventions implemented;

(3) implementation status of the mathematics
instructional leadership framework and mathematics professional
learning plans across school districts and charter schools; and

(4) recommendations for legislative or
budgetary action to improve mathematics instruction and student
outcomes."

- 11 -