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 health coursework and passage of the following PRAXIS exam in Health 5551.
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:
- Proof of passage of the following PRAXIS exam in Health 5551; or
- Earn 24-36 semester hours of credit in health (see course listing below)
- if adding to a middle-level license 6 hours must be upper-division credit;
- if adding to secondary or pre—k-12 specialty license 12 of the hours must be upper division credit; or
- Be certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in Health.
Accepted Health Coursework
- drugs & behavior
- first aid
- human sexuality
- nutrition
- personal health
- program planning & evaluation
- safety
- communication and wellness
- community resources
- conflict resolution
- family relationships
- human anatomy and physiology
- human growth & development
- life skills
- mental health
- stress management
- some nursing coursework