1. A. A level two license is a nine-year license granted to a teacher who meets the qualifications for that level and who annually demonstrates essential competency to teach. If a level two teacher does not demonstrate essential competency in a given school year, the school district shall provide the teacher with additional professional development and peer intervention during the following school year. If, by the end of that school year, the teacher fails to demonstrate essential competency, a school district may choose not to contract with the teacher to teach in the classroom.

2. B. The department shall issue a level two license to an applicant who has successfully taught at least three, but no more than five, years as a level one teacher or an alternative level one teacher, or a combination of the two, or is granted reciprocity as provided by department rules. An applicant for a level two license shall:

   1. (1) demonstrate essential competency required by the department as verified by the local superintendent through the highly objective uniform statewide standard of evaluation; and
   2. (2) meet other qualifications as required by the department.
3. C. The department shall provide for qualifications for specific grade levels, types and subject areas of level two licensure, including early childhood, elementary, middle, secondary, special and vocational education.
4. D. The minimum salary for a level two teacher is sixty-five thousand dollars ($65,000) for a standard nine and one-half month contract; provided that teachers in an extended learning time program or K-12 plus program shall receive additional salary at the same rate as their base salary for that teaching time.

History: 1978 Comp., § 22-10A-10, enacted by Laws 2003, ch. 153, § 41; 2005, ch. 315, § 7; 2005, ch. 316, § 4; 2018, ch. 72, § 2; 2019, ch. 191, § 1; 2019, ch. 206, § 22; 2019, ch. 207, § 22; 2022, ch. 28, § 2; 2023, ch. 128, § 2; 2025, ch. 145, § 2; 2025, ch. 149, § 3.

ANNOTATIONS

2025 Multiple Amendments. — Laws 2025, ch. 145, § 2, effective July 1, 2025, and Laws 2025, ch. 149, § 3, effective July 1, 2025, enacted different amendments to this section that can be reconciled. Pursuant to 12-1-8 NMSA 1978, Laws 2025, ch. 149, § 3 as the last act signed by the governor is set out above and incorporates both amendments. The amendments enacted by Laws 2025, ch. 145, § 2 and Laws 2025, ch. 149, § 3 are described below. To view the session laws in their entirety, see the 2025 session laws on NMOneSource.com.

The nature of the difference between the amendments is that Section 22-10A-10 NMSA 1978, as amended by Laws 2025, ch. 145, § 2, removed an exceptions to the level two licensed teacher salary rate, and Laws 2025, ch. 149, § 3, increased the minimum salary for a level two teacher.

Laws 2025, ch. 149, § 3, effective July 1, 2025, increased the minimum salary for a level two teacher; in Subsection D, deleted "sixty thousand dollars ($60,000)" and added "sixty-five thousand dollars ($65,000)".

Laws 2025, ch. 145, § 2, effective July 1, 2025, removed an exceptions to the level two licensed teacher salary rate; in Subsection D, after "level two teacher," deleted "except for those teachers with a vocational education license," and after "extended learning time program or," deleted "K-5" and added "K-12".

The 2023 amendment, effective July 1, 2023, excluded teachers with a vocational education license from the minimum salary provision for level two teachers; and in Subsection D, after "level two teacher", added "except for those teachers with a vocational education license".

The 2022 amendment, effective July 1, 2022, increased the minimum salary for a level two teacher; and in Subsection D, after "a level two teacher is", deleted "fifty thousand dollars ($50,000)" and added "sixty thousand dollars ($60,000)".

2019 Amendments. — Laws 2019, ch. 207, § 22, effective June 14, 2019, provided that teachers in an extended learning program or K-5 plus program shall receive additional salary for that teaching time; in Subsection D, after the subsection designation, deleted "With the adoption by the department of the statewide objective performance evaluation for level two teachers", after "level two teacher", deleted "for a standard nine and one-half month contract shall be forty-four thousand dollars ($44,000)" and added "is provided that teachers in an extended learning program or K-5 plus program shall receive additional salary at the same rate as their base salary for that teaching time".

Laws 2019, ch. 206, § 22, effective June 14, 2019, increased minimum salary levels for level two teachers; in Subsection D, after the subsection designation, deleted "With the adoption by the department of the statewide objective performance evaluation for level two teachers", after "level two teacher", deleted "for a standard nine and one-half month contract shall be forty-four thousand dollars ($44,000)" and added "is fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) for a standard nine and one-half month contract; provided that teachers in an extended learning program or K-5 plus program shall receive additional salary at the same rate as their base salary for that teaching time".

Laws 2019, ch. 191, § 1, effective June 14, 2019, permitted alternative level one teachers to obtain level two licenses after meeting certain requirements; in Subsection B, after "applicant who", deleted "successfully completes the level one license or is granted reciprocity as provided by department rules; demonstrates" and added "has successfully taught at least three, but no more than five, years as a level one teacher or an alternative level one teacher, or a combination of the two, or is granted reciprocity as provided by department rules. An applicant for a level two license shall", and added new paragraph designations "(1)" and "(2)".

Applicability. — Laws 2019, ch. 206, § 29 and Laws 2019, ch. 207, § 29 provided that the provisions of Sections 21 through 24 apply to school personnel contracted to provide services for summer 2019 K-5 plus programs in fiscal year 2019 and to all school personnel in fiscal year 2020 and subsequent fiscal years.

The 2018 amendment, effective May 16, 2018, increased the statutory minimum salaries for teachers with a level two license; and in Subsection D, after "contract shall be", deleted "as follows", deleted former Paragraphs D(1) through D(3) and added "forty-four thousand dollars ($44,000)".

The 2005 amendment, effective April 7, 2005, deleted the former provision that an applicant complete the three year level one license.