If you’d like to become a teacher in New Mexico, the fastest and most direct way to do so is to attend an accredited college or university with an approved teacher preparation program. Once you have completed your education, you will need to take two assessment tests and submit an application form. If you are a teacher in another state, you can apply for reciprocity and prove your qualifications and licensure from your home state.

To receive licensure to teach, if you have completed your education in New Mexico from an approved program that includes student teaching, you will also need to pass the New Mexico Teacher Assessments for Basic Skills, Teacher Competency and the Content Knowledge Assessment in your subject area. You will then need to submit an application packet that includes official transcripts from your school and a fingerprint card for a criminal background check. The license you will receive upon approval will be a Level 1 teaching license that is good for five years.

After receiving licensure to teach, you will want to find a position at a school in New Mexico. Albuquerque Public Schools is the largest district in New Mexico and one of the largest in the country. The district is divided into eleven clusters that are built around the eleven high schools and the elementary and middle schools that feed into each one. Las Cruces offers strong community involvement to ensure student success including their Community Relations Department. The district also offers a wide range of innovative programs and support systems to better educate the population. Santa Fe promises to provide "a high-quality, world-class education that ensures success for every student
through excellence in teaching." Rio Rancho boasts high-performing schools in their district, none of which are on probation for performance.

Once you have been teaching for three years in New Mexico, you will need to renew your license. The next step is to receive a Level 2 license. In order to do so, you will need to have completed a formal mentoring program during your first three years of teaching. In order to renew your Level 2 license, you will need to have a signed statement from the superintendent of your district stating that you have been performing at the expected levels of competency. Your competency will be based on evaluations from the school where you teach.