Frequently Asked Questions

Does the PED do accreditation for public or private schools?

Public schools are graded yearly on a large array of data points through school grades. Charter schools have charters with their authorizing agency–the PEC or their district, and they are monitored via school grades.

Private schools are responsible for their entire accreditation process; they can choose from a variety of accreditation agencies. Please reach out directly to the school to ask for their accreditation status.

There are at least five avenues one can follow for issues of bullying:

1) If this is an issue for the police or sheriff, they should be called immediately and an incident report filed.

2) The chain of command in following up on your concern at your school and district are 1) the principal, 2) the superintendent, 3) the school board.  Contacts are encouraged to be either made in writing or followed up in writing.

3) Every school is required to have a policy on bullying that you should be able to access. Request from the school their policy manual, so you can be knowledgeable about the school’s policies and procedures.

4) Statute states:  22-2-21. Bullying and cyberbullying prevention programs.
A.   The department shall establish guidelines for bullying prevention policies to be promulgated by local school boards.  Every local school board and governing body of a charter school shall promulgate a bullying prevention policy by August 2011.  Every public school shall implement a bullying prevention program by August 2012.

The Safe Schools Bureau at the Public Education Department provides guidance and resources to schools and families.  https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/safe-healthy-schools/bullying-prevention/
See also the Safe Schools Guide, Section 2.4, for school bullying policy guidelines in the Safe Schools Guide:  https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/SHSB_PlanningForSafeSchools_NM2017.pdf)

5) If you are concerned about the treatment by any of the licensed staff, you can file a complaint through the PED against their license.

I have a complaint about my student’s bus, driver, or bus stop location.

Buses are generally managed through an outside company hired by the school district. Contact your district office to get the information about the bus company and work directly with them to resolve the issue.

How do I go about purchasing a bus?

Contact the school bus vendors or individual school districts

I am looking for a link to approved curriculum for my student’s school.  I can’t seem to find a link that has the list of approved curriculum that I can choose from.

There is no set curriculum for Districts; they are free to select the curriculum they feel is best.  There are content standards that are required. Navigate to NM Content Standards and select the standards you are interested in and then your specific grade level.

Teachers in your school and your principal should be able to help you with the curriculum used in your school.

If you are a teacher or district leader developing new curriculum, other resources follow: If you navigate to Educator Growth and Development and click into your NM Teach liaison, that staff member may be able to be of assistance. Additionally, resources can be found at Teach Reach NM.

Data just not there?  It may be available publicly through an IPRA. Click into the Public Information Office and select IPRA Request from the side menu.  Complete it and send it according to the instructions provided.

I need my diploma, please help.

The PED does not maintain any student records. The district is required to hold your transcripts–not your diploma–for 99 years.  Contact the district from which you graduated and ask for how to request your transcripts..

Diplomas are given out only once—at graduation (unless you can talk your high school principal about possibly ordering you one when they order those for the current graduating class).  Transcripts are the official documentation of your high school experience.

What is the procedure for obtaining the report card for my school district?

From the PED website, click into the School Data on the horizontal menu.  Choose District Report Card

https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/accountability/district-report-cards/

Scroll down to the bottom of that page, and click into the year in which you are interested.

Scroll through until you find the district you are looking for.

Home School Students

If you do not know your state-issued student ID number (STARS ID), you or your parent/guardian will need to log into the Home School Registration database. If the student ID field is blank (which indicates your family opted out of assigning the ID), please email Info.Homeschool@ped.nm.gov requesting that a STARS ID be assigned. Once assigned, an email will be sent to the email on record and the STARS ID will be available in the home school account.

I am a teacher and having trouble logging in to ECOT or EKOT.

Please visit  https://ecot.ped.state.nm.us and utilize the options available on the page for logging in. You can also find teacher guides on this page as well.

• I am looking for practice EOC’s or blueprints for the EOC’s.  

There are no practice tests for specific courses.  There are three practice tests available (for elementary, middle, and high school) that are designed to expose the students to the types of questions they may encounter when taking their EoC exams.  The practice tests are not graded in any way.

Navigate to the PED website, click into Offices/Programs and then select Assessment.
Click into EOCs. Blueprints are provided that were created by NM teachers who worked together to create the exams.. The blue prints come with some example questions.

• I am a District Test Coordinator, where can I find an actual EOC exam?

All of the EoC forms are located in the NMEPIC Repository.  There are forms for the following:

If your plans are to administer the paper-based tests, the forms will need to be downloaded.  The answer keys are also in the repository.

Staff in Educator Growth and Development can further assist you.

I have questions about my NMTEACH report. 

You should first have a conversation with your Principal about the data reported on the NMTEACH report. All data is sent to the PED by the districts themselves. If you would like additional information about NMTEACH and what it is made up of, please visit the Teach Reach blog resources where you will find easy to read guides developed by teachers for teachers : teachreachnm.us

I have not received my summative evaluation for last year. How do I get a copy of it?

1) Ask your building administrator for your evaluation.  Additionally, a signed copy of the summative report should reside in your personnel file. Your teacher report/summative evaluation  is created at the school and district level, sent to the PED for input into our data banks, but resides with the district.

2) Administrators communicate any issues that they are unable to address to the appointed person at the district or charter that handles data submission through Accuroster.

3) The appointed district representative communicates with their assigned NMTEACH liaison at the PED. The PED does not have copies of individual evaluations.

You should expect to get your teacher report at the beginning of the new school year, and you and your district have a 30-day window (mid-September through mid-October) to reach out to the PED to address any potential data issues. Summative reports will not be reviewed by the NMPED after the review period ends.

• Records

The Public Education no longer works with GED to access this information.  You can request a copy of your GED certificate online at Diplomasender.com.  Their direct line is 855-313-5799. But, if you contact them by phone, there will be an additional fee may be added to the GED report. For help with the process of procuring a GED or other questions, the Higher Education Department now provides this service.  The contact there is Dyanne Salazar; you can reach her at 505-476-8441.

•  Underage Verification Form

The PED does not maintain this form. Please visit the Higher Education Department website->  Programs-> HSE Information ->Underage Waiver

I cannot find the Gifted Technical Assistance Manual.

Navigate to the Special Education Bureau and to Technical Manuals.  The Gifted Manual is at the bottom of the page.

• I would like to home school my student(s). What do I need to do?

You will need to register your son for home school by completing the online (or hard copy) form, sending it electronically (or via mail) to the Public Education Department, and taking a copy in to your district school.

Go to the PED website and click into Offices/Programs on the top menu and into the Options for Parents in the appropriate program box below.

Click into Home Schools on the right-hand menu and follow directions. FAQs follow that may be helpful.  Finally, connect with your school to understand how they determine the grade level your son will be enrolled in next year.  Often, they will administer a grade-level test to make that determinatio

• I’m trying to figure out what books I need to buy.

There is no money allocated for students who home school. Families will choose their own curriculum and purchase their own school materials of their choosing. Navigate to home schooling web pages and read the FAQs before registering your student for home school.

Where is the Adopted Multiple Listing? 

Here is the link to the Adopted Multiple List.    Select Adopted Multiple List_1_2018. This will open an Excel spreadsheet. Select the tab at the bottom of the page for 2015 K-8 ELA-Read, CRI, MCN. These are the titles that have been adopted for purchase by districts.

I am trying to register for the interactive scatter plot, and it is not accepting any of the passwords I have tried.

Navigate to the Dashboard

Passwords must have at least one non letter or digit character.

Passwords must have at least one digit (0–9)

The dashboard was developed by the NMTEACH team in conjunction with teacher leaders across the state and provides teachers access to an interactive scatterplot and student rosters from the 2016–2017 school year.

Complete an IPRA by navigating to the PED’s Public Information Office, click into the IPRA request link on the right-hand vertical menu,  and follow instructions.

How do I get a J1 Visa?

New Mexico currently has Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Mexico and Spain, so NM cannot accept teachers in the EV Program from other countries due to the lack of an agreement/or memorandum with the ministry and/or department of education. Interested teachers from other countries are not currently hosted through this EV J-1 Visa Program. The J1 Visa program aka Exchange Visitor Teacher Program is sponsored and managed by the Educator Growth and Development Bureau.

What do I need to do to start work as a teacher or school employee in the state of New Mexico?

You will need a NM teacher’s license.  Go to the NM PED webpage and click into Licensure.  Within those webpages you can access the following:  Scroll down to How to Apply and click into your teacher area of expertise for the process and forms. You will also want to click into Licensure Background Information to know what you need to do in order to pass a background check, including fingerprinting.  For additional information or assistance, navigate to Licensure Staff directory and contact a licensure consultant.

To locate job opportunities, you can go to specific districts in which you are interested.  Navigate to the map of school districts.  You can access districts by clicking on the map or through the alpha district list

Each district has job opportunities listed as does the NMREAP (Regional Education Applicant Placement) service that provides users the ability to apply for jobs across the state.

Many questions can be answered before you contact the Licensure Bureau. Please see a complete listing of Licensure FAQ’s here: https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/licensure/10967-2/

• Background Check

I’m needing my background check sent to me.

Go to the licensure bureau webpages and click into Background Information. Please complete a background release form found on licensure’s licensure webpages.

• Complaint

The fastest route to complaint resolution regarding a district policy or professional conduct is generally through the district chain of command.  Principal -> superintendent -> school board (you can find your school board member or president at the district website—do a search if it’s not clearly marked).

If the issue is not handled to your satisfaction and licensed professionals are involved, a licensure complaint form can be accessed at the Office of General Counsel  General Counsel Documents and Forms page,  completed based on NMAC 6.60.9.9(B)&(C) & 6.68.3.8(B), submitted via email to Investigations listed on the form, where it will be investigated and determined if it falls under the jurisdiction of the PED.

If it is an issue whose legality or safety is in question, contact the local police or sheriff’s department.

• Copy/Duplicate License

For a copy of your license, download the Request for Duplicate Licenses from Applications and Forms on the licensure webpages and submit it to licensure bureau as instructed on the form.

• Courses that satisfy licensure requirements/Transcript analysis

I would like someone from the PED to review my transcript and advise me if my classes count towards a license.  Will you tell me what other classes I need for licensure?

From the Licensure FAQS  # 35 and 46

We are not able to evaluate transcripts to see if you meet the criteria to apply for licenses or endorsements. Your best resource for this type of question is meeting with your local college/ university where you completed the coursework, or meet with your school district. You can always review our website licensure pathway at How to Apply or Adding Endorsements for additional information.

Will your office provide a list of the courses (class number or course code) I need for the endorsement?

Each college/university has their approved endorsement program of courses. This link will provide you with some guidance on the courses needed but you should partner with your local college or university to ensure you are taking the correct courses. Click on a specific endorsement to find general course listing.

• Endorsements—TESOL

I am an Occupational Therapist (OT) with and was wondering if I am eligible to get a TESOL endorsement same as a teacher would.

The NM PED state statutes do not allow a TESOL endorsement to be added to an OT license. We can only add a TESOL endorsement to teacher licenses and a speech language pathologist license.

If you are looking to obtain a TESOL endorsement or any endorsement, please see the instructions and requirements here.

• Extensions

I have an Alternative Teaching License that will expire on June 30.  I have not completed all of the requirements to convert the license to permanent status. How can I get an extension?

If records show that you hold an intern license, and you wish to get this license extended for one year, submit the following documents.
1.  A letter from yourself requesting the extension
2.  A letter from the district stating that you are in good standing for the extension
3.  A letter from the university also stating that you are in good standing for this extension

• Fingerprinting

 How do I do my fingerprints or background check?

You can find information for both in state and out of state applicants here: https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/licensure/background-submission .

You must follow the directions exactly as outlined on the background web page.

• Leveling Up

How do I advance from a level One to a level Two license?

In order to move to a level 2 license, you will need to have a valid level 1 license with a minimum or three years teaching experience (advancing via NMTEACH or Dossier). Find more information here: http://www.teachnm.org

• Licensure Data Needed/License Look up

I need my license number, date of issue, and date of expiration.

To be able to view your license information, including date of issue, expiration, endorsements, and license types, navigate to  the PED licensure web pages,  click into the Online License Look Up in the right hand vertical menu,

input your name as it appears on your license (and/or your license #), and your license data populates the screen. The license number is an active link; click on that link, and the details of your license will be exposed.

• Name Change

How do I submit a request for changing my name on my teaching license? Do I fax it, email it?

Navigate to the PED website and click into Licensure  Click into Applications and Forms  Click into License Change Request—Change of Name

•  Reciprocate a license

Where can I find specific information on what I need to do to teach in New Mexico?

Navigate to  How to Apply – select the area in which you want a NM license.  For additional information, click into licensure’s staff directory, and contact a licensure consultant.

Performance Level Descriptors (for PARCC)

I can’t find the HS performance descriptors for math. 

HS Performance Level Descriptors for HS math

Interested parties may provide comment on the proposed new rule at the public hearing or may submit written comments, or both, to Jamie Gonzales, Policy Division, New Mexico Public Education Department, Room 101, 300 Don Gaspar Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, or by electronic mail at Rule.Feedback@ped.nm.gov, or fax to (505) 827-6681.  All written comments must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. (MDT) on the day of public comment.  The PED encourages the early submission of written comments.

Copies of the proposed rule may be accessed through the New Mexico Public Education Department’s website.

Individuals with disabilities who require the above information in an alternative format, or who need any form of auxiliary aid to attend or participate in the public hearing are asked to contact the Policy, Innovation, and Measurement Division at (505) 827-7889 as soon as possible before the date set for the public hearing.  The PED requires at least ten (10) calendar days advance notice to provide any special accommodations requested.

Where are the SBA science practice questions?

SBA science practice questions are found on the Assessment Bureau website.

I am concerned about the cleanliness or safety of a school.

Districts are responsible for the safe, clean environment in which their school operates.

The chain of command to resolve a complaint in any school is for students to go through their teachers -> principal -> superintendent -> school/governance board.

Schools must sign off on the School Health Rules Check List, including pest control, a safe school plan, a wellness plan that revolves around NMAC: 6.12.6,  and that addresses social and emotional well-being and a healthy and safe environment.

The PED’s Safe Schools Program Coordinator can determine if a school has checked off on the the assurances for integrated pest management or other areas.

You can also call the Department of Health’s 24-hour hot line:  505-827-0006.

I would like to get a scholarship or grant for school; how do i do that?

Work with your high school academic advisor/counselor; these folks have been trained to work with students in their process of accessing college and can guide you to additional resources including the option of the Lottery Scholarship.

Filling out the FAFSA will provide you with a list of grants, scholarships, and loans that are available to you through the federal government.

What is the grade of my student’s school? How can I find more information about school grades?

Please see the school grades website at http://aae.ped.state.nm.us/. You can also find more information about how the grades are earned on that page as well.

I am trying to locate the standards that are being taught in my student’s school and classroom.

Please find all the standards here: https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/instructional-materials/new-mexico-content-standards/.

STARS ID Requests

If you do not know your state-issued student ID number (STARS ID), you or your parent/guardian will need to log into the Home School Registration database. If the student ID field is blank (which indicates your family opted out of assigning the ID), please email Info.Homeschool@ped.nm.gov requesting that a STARS ID be assigned. Once assigned, an email will be sent to the email on record and the STARS ID will be available in the home school account.

Where can I find a list of course offerings?

All courses are in the STARS manual, which can be referenced here: SY2018 STARS Manual Volume 2v12.6

The NM PED’s Priority School Bureau handles SIGs for schools identified as lower performing under the Every Student Succeeds Act.

For additional assistance, click into the priority school staff directory located in the same menu.

I have a question about my retirement or retirement account.

The PED does not have any connection to teacher retirement. All questions regarding retirement or retirement accounts should be directed to the ERB (Educator’s Retirement Board) office. You can reach them by email at erb-memberhelp@state.nm.us or by phone at 1-866-691-2345.

I have developed a fresh approach to … I would like to schedule a meeting to discuss further and see how I can add value to the schools of New Mexico. My product gets results and is affordable for every school.

You will need to acquire a vendor ID. You do this through the Department of Finance and  Administration (www.nmdfa.state.nm.us/).  Look for appropriate RFAs on the PED website: https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/information/rfps-rfis-rfas/

You can also navigate to the STARS public school directory and contact districts individually  http://webed.ped.state.nm.us/sites/schooldirectory/SitePages/Home.aspx

On the district school directory, if you click on Extracts–the last item in the horizontal menu–you can access district information as is most convenient for your uses.

Additionally, districts depend on their REC (Regional Education Collaborative) to provide them with trainings http://www.nmreca.org/.

•  Options for correcting

a) Refresh/Push F5 b)Try another browser c) Contact your IT people  d) Contact the PED

• Navigation Difficulties

a) Use the Website Index on the blue horizontal menu.

b) Do a Google search using NM PED +topic of interest.

c) Data just not there? Create an IPRA—Inspection of public records Click into the Public Information Office and select IPRA Request from the side menu.