A. The department may award a "national board certification scholarship" to an eligible teacher seeking certification from the national board for professional teaching standards, which scholarship shall be equal to the certification fees assessed by the national board. A scholarship shall be for no longer than three years, paid annually upon notification that the teacher is still an active participant in the certification process, unless the department finds that exigent circumstances prevent the teacher from finishing the certification process within three years. The department shall provide by rule what circumstances qualify as exigent circumstances.
B. A teacher is eligible to apply for a national board certification scholarship if the teacher:
(1) is a New Mexico resident;
(2) holds a valid level two or higher teaching license;
(3) is teaching in a New Mexico public school; and
(4) submits a reference letter from the teacher's school principal.
C. Applications shall be submitted to the department on forms and in a manner provided by rule of the department.
D. The department may provide by rule for scholarship contractual terms and application evaluation and other criteria to implement the scholarship program, including subject matter and grade-level preferences if there are more applications than available funding. The department may interview applicants.
E. The department shall provide an annual report on the national board certification scholarship program to the governor and the legislature, including the:
(1) number of teachers who receive scholarships each year and the value of each scholarship;
(2) number of teachers who receive national board certification each year through the scholarship program;
(3) length of time each teacher takes to receive certification;
(4) educator evaluation rating for scholarship recipients during their first five years of teaching as board-certified teachers;
(5) name of the school district and public school where the scholarship recipient is employed; and
(6) performance of students in classes taught by scholarship-supported board-certified teachers in comparison to students taught by non-board-certified teachers in the school district or charter school.
History: Laws 2020, ch. 26, § 3.
ANNOTATIONSEffective dates. — Laws 2020, ch. 26 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective May 20, 2020, 90 days after adjournment of the legislature.