Secondary Teacher Preparation Policy
Content Test Requirements: New Mexico offers single-subject secondary licenses to teach grades 7-12. The state requires that its secondary teacher candidates pass a content test to teach any core secondary subjects.
Endorsement: To add a secondary endorsement to an existing license, teachers in New Mexico must either pass a content test or earn 24-36 semester hours of credit in the subject area.
Secondary Licensure Deficiencies: Unfortunately, New Mexico allows both general science and general social studies
licenses without requiring subject-matter testing for each subject area
within these disciplines. Because secondary content testing loopholes are scored in 3-E: Secondary Licensure Deficiencies, it is not considered as part of the
score for the Secondary Content Knowledge goal.
Require subject-matter testing for all secondary teacher candidates.
New Mexico wisely requires subject-matter tests for most secondary teachers but should address any loopholes that undermine this policy (see 3-E: Secondary Licensure Deficiencies analysis and recommendations). This applies to the addition of endorsements as well.
Require subject-matter testing when adding subject-area endorsements.
New Mexico should require passing scores on subject-specific content tests, regardless of other coursework or degree requirements, for teachers who are licensed in core secondary subjects and wish to add another subject area, or endorsement, to their licenses. Although coursework may be generally indicative of background in a particular subject area, only a subject-matter test ensures that teachers know the specific content they will need to teach.
New Mexico stated that it requires all teachers seeking secondary licensure to complete a minimum of 24 semester credit hours (minimum 12 hours at a 300 level or higher) in their initial endorsement and pass a rigorous content knowledge exam. The state also indicated that its choice of a generalist endorsement for science and social studies was made to meet the needs of its rural state. New Mexico also noted that it appreciates the feedback about these endorsements and will continue to examine areas in which the state can improve.
3D: Secondary Content Knowledge
Completion of coursework provides no assurance that prospective teachers know the specific content they will teach. Secondary teachers must be experts in the subject matter they teach, and a rigorous, subject-matter specific test ensures that teacher candidates are sufficiently and appropriately knowledgeable in their content area. In fact, research suggests that a positive correlation exists between teachers' content knowledge and the academic achievement of their students.[1] Coursework is generally only indicative of background in a subject area; even a major offers no certainty of what content has been covered. A history major, for example, could have studied relatively little American history or almost exclusively American history. To assume that the major has adequately prepared the candidate to teach American history, European history, or ancient civilizations is an unwarranted leap of faith, whereas a rigorous content test could verify aspiring teachers' knowledge in each topic area.
Requirements should be just as rigorous when adding an endorsement to an existing license. Many states will allow teachers to add a content area endorsement to their license simply on the basis of having completed coursework. As described above, the completion of coursework does not offer assurance of specific content knowledge. Even states that require a content test for initial licensure should require an additional content test for adding an endorsement.