Beginning Teacher Pathway
Definition: Beginning Teacher – a teacher who has not completed a teacher program (they hold an alternative license).
Beginning teachers adding the endorsement to an initial license must satisfy the requirements for the license which include:
- 24-36 semester hours in library media coursework and passage of the Praxis exam School Librarian 5312 (required beginning 9/1/23) (see coursework listing below).
Teacher with Existing License Pathway
Definition: Existing Teacher – a teacher who has completed a teacher program (standard or alternative).
Teachers seeking to add the endorsement to an existing NM teaching license of any level can either:
- Passage of the Praxis exam School Librarian 5312 (required beginning 9/1/23); or
- Earn 24-36 semester hours of credit in library media (see coursework listing below);
- if adding to a secondary or pre k-12 specialty license 12 of the hours must be upper division credit;
- if adding to a middle level license 6 of the hours must be upper division credit; or
- Be certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in library media.
Accepted Library Coursework
- design and utilization of media
- cataloging and classification of materials
- instrumental design and development
- selection and acquisition of materials
- children’s literature
- educational uses of computers and research
- reference and bibliography
- Some literacy coursework accepted