YEAR OF LITERACY: Read Across New Mexico
The New Mexico Public Education Department announced they have joined National Education Association-New Mexico and the Early Childhood Education and Care Department in celebrating “Read Across New Mexico” during April, dubbed the Month of the Young Child.
The Read Across America theme for 2022 is “Celebrating a Nation of Diverse Readers,” and the featured book is Fry Bread, written by Kevin Noble Maillard and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal. These four New Mexico schools have been chosen for Read Across New Mexico events to be held later in April:
- La Escuelita Preschool in the Bernalillo Public School District
- Alcalde Elementary School in the Española Public School District
- Ojo Amarillo Elementary School in the Central Consolidated School District
- Booker T. Washington Elementary School in the Las Cruces Public School District
These schools will receive an event toolkit that includes books for every student in the school’s early childhood education program as well as one book for each early childhood classroom and for the school’s library. More information on Read Across New Mexico is available here.
NBCT Scholarships
The applicatoin window is open to June 10 for New Mexico teachers to apply for scholarships from the Public Education Department to obtain certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
A complete application must include a letter of recommendation from superintendents or charter school leaders. The PED will award scholarships totaling $500,000 in 2022 to eligible teachers through funding appropriated by the Legislature.
Scholarships are awarded annually; awards for the 2021-2022 school year will be reimbursed for components paid for and completed prior to June 16, 2023. For more information, refer to the following links:
Educator Fellows
The deadline is May 13 to submit a Request for Information regarding the second round of the state Educator Fellows program. This program provides districts and state charters with resources and information to increase adult-to-student ratios in the classroom while providing additional resources to help Educator Fellows further their post-secondary pathway in education.
Licensure Updates
- Extension Requests: For alternative licensed educators and educators with a 1CS license, applications should be submitted using the instructions found at the link. Instructions for districts and state-chartered schools LEAs can be found at this page. Requests will be reviewed in early May.
- Dossier Submissions: Between Jan. 1 and March 31, the department received over 400 dossier submissions. We have added additional reviewers and continue to monitor the queue to ensure submissions are read in a timely manner. You can help us out by reminding the educators who are moving from Level 2 to Level 3 that they need to send in official transcripts reflecting a master’s degree conferred.
- Staffing Updates: The Licensure Bureau is experiencing a transition of staff. Licensure Consultant Greg Garcia has moved to the Educator Growth and Development Bureau; and Licensure Manager Jessica Green will be leaving the PED in mid-May.
Meet the Author
Register here for a virtual meeting with the author of a book that is being provided to all New Mexico K-12 social studies teachers for critical background knowledge they will need to implement the new social studies standards. Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz will talk about her book, “An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States,” from 3-3:30 pm on April 21.
This is the first history book about the United States told from the perspective of indigenous peoples. NMPED recently purchased 20,000 copies — one for every elementary and secondary social studies teacher, principal and curriculum and instruction director — and created a suite of professional development modules and a study guide.