How to become a substitute teacher in New Mexico.

Substitute teaching is a great career choice for those looking to positively impact students in their communities. To become a substitute teacher in New Mexico, the state has several requirements. By carefully following each step of the process, you’ll soon be in the classroom teaching—and making a difference. 

Kelly Education recruits, hires, and manages substitute teachers in thousands of schools across the U.S.—including New Mexico. Let’s examine each requirement, including the estimated costs and timeframes for completing each step. 

Minimum New Mexico state requirements, at a glance*:

• Certification: New Mexico teaching license or substitute teacher certification 
• Education: High school diploma or equivalent 
• Pre-credential training 
• Employment verification to work in the U.S. 
• Age: 18  (or 21 if substituting at the high school level)
• Background check 
• Fingerprinting 

In addition to New Mexico state requirements, Kelly Education requires:

• Kelly application 
• Pre-hire training 
• New Hire Orientation 

A deeper dive into substitute teacher requirements.

While the state requirement for substitute teachers is a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent, the state requires two of the following additional requirements to obtain a license if the candidate doesn’t hold a degree from a teacher preparation program from a regionally accredited college or university.  

• Completion of 60 college credit hours  
• Completion of a substitute teacher workshop conducted by or acceptable to the local school district in which the substitute teacher is employed or seeking employment. 
• Completion of six sponsored classroom observation hours  
• Enrollment in a regionally accredited college or university, studying primary or secondary education 
• Recent on-the-job training by serving as a voluntary assistant to a licensed teacher in a school classroom for at least three hours for three days.  

Since there are several requirements to become a substitute teacher in New Mexico, you’ll want to allow enough time to be properly cleared. Note that individual school districts may set specific standards, creating additional steps beyond the state’s requirements. It’s important to always refer to the details of a posted job description. 

Education verification. 

Applicants must verify their education from the issuing district or institution. Suppose you have a few college credits under your belt. In that case, it’s best to ask for those transcripts instead of your high school diploma or equivalent since some districts may pay more if you have college credits. Some schools charge for transcript requests, ranging from $10 to $15 on average. It typically takes 3 to 5 days to receive transcripts. 

Certification. 

Substitute teachers are required to be licensed through the New Mexico Public Education Department. The New Mexico license application fee is $50. The district or Kelly Education will send an official form to the state stating that the substitute teacher candidate has fulfilled the requirements. 

Background check and fingerprinting. 

All applicants must pass a New Mexico background check and fingerprinting.  The total fee for the background screening and fingerprinting for state licensing is $59. The turnaround time for the background check is 7 to 15 working days. 

Many districts require that substitute teachers get a second background check and fingerprinting to work on their campus. This often costs an additional $59.  

Again, if working with one of our partner districts, Kelly Education will guide you through the process by working with the school district or NMPED.  

Employment verification.

Employment verification is required for all employees working in the U.S. An I-9 form is the government document used to verify employment. You’ll submit the I-9 form with valid identification credentials. The form takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete. If looking to substitute teach for one of our partner districts, a Kelly Education recruiter will walk you through the steps to complete the form. 

Training. 

New Mexico requires an EA Exam and training for candidates who do not hold a Level 3 Education Assistance (EA) license or if they do not have the minimum, credited hours of 48 College Credits – at least 15 in Math, Science, or English. The school district sponsors the EA Exam. Under this scenario, Education Assistant Training is state-mandate.

Kelly Education also requires that our substitute teacher applicants complete a free, online ClassSmarts training, even if you hold an EA license. It take 1 -1.5 hours to complete.

In addition to the ClassSmarts training, Kelly Education requires employees to complete a paid New Hire Orientation training module online to familiarize new hires with Kelly Education and district-specific procedures and policies. 

Getting started with Kelly Education and our school district partners.

We understand your desire to get into the classroom as soon as possible. Our experts work to hire quality substitute teachers for several New Mexico school districts. You can get started by filling out our interest form. Then, a Kelly Education recruiter will contact you to explain the next steps.  

Are you ready to make a difference with flexible work that matters? Learn more about our substitute teacher jobs near you!  

* Information subject to change. This is a general guideline. School districts may have more requirements, in addition to state requirements. 

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