HB 22 SCHOOL ADMIN PREP. PROGRAMS REQUIREMENTS

Rep Joy Garratt

Actions: HPREF [1] not prntd-HRC

Scheduled: Not Scheduled

 House Bill 22 (HB 22) in Public Education creates the School Administrator Preparation Requirements Act and requires preparation programs to meet state and national standards. HB 22 provides specifications for the Administrator program and provides rulemaking authority to the Public Education Department. Creates the School Leadership Institute. HB 22 provides licensure requirements for school administrators and changes the minimum salary of the an alternative Level Three B-licensed school principal or assistant school principal. HB 22 repeals the School Leadership Institute within the Higher Education Department. HB 22 makes an appropriation 

 House Bill 22 changes, amends and repeals Public School Code as follows:
SECTION 1 adds a new section of the Public School Code to create the School Administrator Preparation Program Requirements Act (Act) in Sections 1-4.

SECTION 2 provides definitions as used in the Act.

SECTION 3 adds a new section of the Public School Code to create standards-based school administrator preparation programs and specifies requirements and 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 Act. The department shall promulgate rules as necessary to implement the provisions of the Act. 

B. The department shall establish criteria for programs that include research-based features of effective leader preparation programs as specified in this subsection. 

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 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 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 with data as specified.

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 adds a new section to create the School Leadership Institute (Institute) and define duties.
A. The Institute is created and administratively attached to the department, which 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 programs for licensure preparation, professional development, mentoring and support.

C. The Institute shall partner with state agencies, public schools, post-secondary educational institutions and professional associations to identify, recruit and mentor candidates.

SECTION 5 amends School Personnel Act Section 22-10A-11.3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2009, Chapter 117, Section 2) insert a requirement for satisfactorily completing the department approved school administrator program in Subsection C(2) in the level three-B provisional licensure for school principals.

SECTION 6 amends School Personnel Act Section 22-10A-17.2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2017, Chapter 68, Section 1) regarding alternative level three-B licensure in Subsection B(2) to delete reference to the administration apprenticeship program and replace that term with residency. Subsection C is amended address the minimum annual salary for an alternative level three-B licensed school principal or assistant school principal to delete the current requirement of $50,000 and replace it with the following salary specification:
… the minimum salary for a level three-A teacher multiplied by the applicable responsibility factor.

SECTION 7 makes an appropriation of $2,000,000 from the General Fund to the PED for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2025 and subsequent fiscal years to carry out the purposes of the Act. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund. 

SECTION 8 repeals State and Private Education Institutions Section 21-1-44 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2010, Chapter 65, Section 1).

SECTION 9 makes the effective date of this act July 1, 2024. 

 House Bill 22 (HB 22) adds new sections to Public Education to create the School Administrator Preparation Requirements Act and related programs. HB 22 also repeals a section of State and Private Education Institutions.