New Mexico

New Mexico Test Requirements

Beginning July 2022, approved educator preparation programs in New Mexico must adopt a standardized portfolio that will serve as a rigorous approval process for becoming a licensed educator in New Mexico, and Praxis examination pathways will be removed for educators who will graduate in Spring 2024. All Elementary Educators seeking licensure must complete the Praxis: Teaching Reading: Elementary (5205) examination per state statute 22-10A-1 NMSA 1978. All Special Education Educators seeking licensure must complete the Praxis: Special Education: Core Knowledge and Application (5354 – accepted through 8/31/23) or Praxis: Special Education: Foundational Knowledge (5355 – required beginning 9/1/23) per state statute 22-10A-8 NMSA 1978.

For students currently enrolled in a traditional or alternative educator preparation program and graduating between May 2022 and December 2023, all Praxis Core examinations will be waived but all other examinations will need to be completed and passed.

For students who are currently in and/or will be entering the alternative online portfolio program pathway, Core examinations will be waived but all other examinations will need to be completed and passed.

Graduation/Completion Date	Portfolio¹	Standardized Examinations
Spring, Summer and Winter 2022	No	No Praxis Core, but student must take all other required exams
Spring, Summer and Winter 2023	No	No Praxis Core, but student must take all other required exams
Spring, Summer and Winter 2024 and ongoing	Yes	No Praxis examination required except for out-of-state candidates or unique circumstances²

^{1 Required by PED. If your institution has a required portfolio, you must complete it.

2 All Elementary Educators seeking licensure must still complete Praxis. Teaching Reading: Elementary (5205) examination per state statute 22-10A-1 NMSA 1978.}

Find your certification area below to determine which test(s) you need to take. For test prep materials, click the test title. Once you know which tests you should take, schedule your test.

Unless it’s specifically stated that a calculator is permitted or required for a particular test, you can’t use a calculator on any Praxis tests (see Calculator Use).

Tests required for initial licensure areas

All candidates for an initial teaching license in Early Childhood Education are required to take the appropriate content assessment.

To Be Certified in	You Need to Take	Test Code	Qualifying Score
Early Childhood Education (Birth–PreK)	Pre-Kindergarten Education	5531	155
Early Childhood Education (PreK–Grade 3)	Education of Young Children	5024	160

All candidates for an initial teaching license in Elementary Education are required to take a Principles of Learning and Teaching assessment and the appropriate content assessments.

To Be Certified in	You Need to Take	Test Code	Qualifying Score
Elementary Education (K–8)	Principles of Learning and Teaching Assessment
	Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K–6	5622	160
	Content Assessment
	Elementary Education: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment	5017	153
	and
	Teaching Reading: Elementary	5205	159

All candidates for an initial teaching license in Middle Level Education (5–9) are required to take a Principles of Learning and Teaching assessment and a content assessment for the first endorsement on the license.

To Be Certified in	You Need to Take	Test Code	Qualifying Score
Middle School Education (5–9)	Principles of Learning and Teaching Assessment
	Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K–6	5622	160
	or
	Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7–12	5624	157
	One of the Content Assessments Listed Below for the First Endorsement on the License
	Art: Content Knowledge	5134	158
	Business Education: Content Knowledge	5101	154
	English to Speakers of Other Languages	5362	155
	Family and Consumer Sciences	5122	153
	French: World Language	5174	162
	German: World Language	5183	163
	Health Education	5551	155
	Middle School English Language Arts	5047	164
	Accepted through August 31, 2023 Library Media Specialist	5311	151
	Required beginning September 1, 2023 School Librarian	5312	151
	Middle School Science	5442	152
	Middle School Mathematics (On-screen graphing calculator provided)	5164	157
	Middle School Social Studies	5089	152
	Music: Content Knowledge	5113	161
	Physical Education: Content Knowledge	5091	148
	Spanish World Language	5195	168
	Teaching Reading: K–12	5206	156
	Technology Education	5051	159
	Theatre	5641	148

All candidates for an initial teaching license in Secondary Education are required to take a Principles of Learning and Teaching assessment and a content assessment for the first endorsement on the license.

To Be Certified in	You Need to Take	Test Code	Qualifying Score
Secondary Education (7–12)	Principles of Learning and Teaching Assessment
	Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7–12	5624	157
	One of the Content Assessments Listed Below for the First Endorsement on the License
	Art: Content Knowledge	5134	158
	Business Education: Content Knowledge	5101	154
	Computer Science	5652	149
	English Language Arts: Content Knowledge	5038	167
	English to Speakers of Other Languages	5362	155
	Family and Consumer Sciences	5122	153
	French: World Language	5174	162
	Accepted through August 31, 2023 General Science: Content Knowledge	5435	152
	Required beginning September 1, 2023 General Science	5436	152
	German: World Language	5183	163
	Health Education	5551	155
	Accepted through August 31, 2023 Library Media Specialist	5311	151
	Required beginning September 1, 2023 School Librarian	5312	151
	Mathematics (On-screen graphing calculator provided)	5165	159
	Music: Content Knowledge	5113	161
	Physical Education: Content Knowledge	5091	148
	Psychology	5391	154
	Social Studies: Content Knowledge	5081	154
	Spanish World Language	5195	168
	Teaching Reading: K–12	5206	156
	Technology Education	5051	159
	Theatre	5641	148

All candidates for an initial teaching license in Grades Specialty Pre K–12 are required to take a Principles of Learning and Teaching assessment and a content assessment for the first endorsement on the license.

To Be Certified in	You Need to Take	Test Code	Qualifying Score
Specialty Pre K–12	Principles of Learning and Teaching Assessment
	Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K–6	5622	160
	or
	Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7–12	5624	157
	One of the Content Assessments Listed Below for the First Endorsement on the License
	Art: Content Knowledge	5134	158
	Business Education: Content Knowledge	5101	154
	English to Speakers of Other Languages	5362	155
	Family and Consumer Sciences	5122	153
	French: World Language	5174	162
	Required beginning September 1, 2023 General Science	5436	152
	German: World Language	5183	163
	Health Education	5551	155
	Accepted through August 31, 2023 Library Media Specialist	5311	151
	Required beginning September 1, 2023 School Librarian	5312	151
	Music: Content Knowledge	5113	161
	Physical Education: Content Knowledge	5091	148
	Spanish World Language	5195	168
	Teaching Reading: K–12	5206	156
	Theatre	5641	148

All candidates for an initial teaching license in Special Education are required to take a Principles of Learning and Teaching assessment and the appropriate content assessment.

To Be Certified in	You Need to Take	Test Code	Qualifying Score
Special Education (Pre K–12)	Principles of Learning and Teaching Assessment
	Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K–6	5622	160
	or
	Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7–12	5624	157
	Content Assessment
	Accepted through August 31, 2023 Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications	5354	151
	Required beginning September 1, 2023 Special Education: Foundational Knowledge	5355	151
Blind and Visually Impaired (PreK–12)	Principles of Learning and Teaching Assessment
	Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K–6	5622	160
	or
	Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7–12	5624	157
	Content Assessment
	Special Education: Teaching Students with Visual Impairments	5282	163
Deaf and Hard of Hearing (PreK–12)	Principles of Learning and Teaching Assessment
	Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K–6	5622	160
	or
	Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7–12	5624	157
	Content Assessment
	Special Education: Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students	5272	160

To Be Certified in	You Need to Take	Test Code	Qualifying Score
Educational Administrator (Pre K–12)	Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision	5412	146

To Be Certified in

You Need to Take

Test Code

Qualifying Score

Educational Administrator (Pre K–12)

Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision

5412

146

To Be Certified in	You Need to Take	Test Code	Qualifying Score
School Psychologist (Pre K–12)	Accepted through August 31, 2023 School Psychologist	5402	147
School Psychologist (Pre K–12)	Required beginning September 1, 2023 School Psychologist	5403	147
School Counselor	Accepted through August 31, 2023 Professional School Counselor	5421	156
School Counselor	Required beginning September 1, 2023 School Counselor	5422	156

To Be Certified in	You Need to Take	Test Code	Qualifying Score
Art	Art: Content Knowledge	5134	158
Business Education	Business Education: Content Knowledge	5101	154
Computer Science	Computer Science	5652	149
English Language Arts	English Language Arts: Content Knowledge	5038	167
English to Speakers of Other Languages	English to Speakers of Other Languages	5362	155
Family and Consumer Sciences	Family and Consumer Sciences	5122	153
French	French: World Language	5174	162
General Science	Accepted through August 31, 2023 General Science: Content Knowledge	5435	152
General Science	Required beginning September 1, 2023 General Science	5436	152
German	German: World Language	5183	163
Gifted Education	Gifted Education	5358	157
Health	Health Education	5551	155
Mathematics	Mathematics (On-screen graphing calculator provided)	5165	159
Middle Grades English Language Arts	Middle School English Language Arts	5047	164
Middle Grades General Science	Middle School Science	5442	152
Middle Grades Mathematics	Middle School Mathematics (On-screen graphing calculator provided)	5164	157
Middle Grades Social Science	Middle School Social Studies	5089	152
Music	Music: Content Knowledge	5113	161
Physical Education	Physical Education: Content Knowledge	5091	148
Psychology	Psychology	5391	154
Reading	Teaching Reading: K–12	5206	156
School Library Media Specialist	Accepted through August 31, 2023 Library Media Specialist	5311	151
School Library Media Specialist	Required beginning September 1, 2023 School Librarian	5312	151
Social Science	Social Studies: Content Knowledge	5081	154
Spanish	Spanish World Language	5195	168
Technology Education	Technology Education	5051	159
Theatre	Theatre	5641	148

Individuals seeking additional endorsements must take 24 semester hours in the appropriate content area OR must take and pass the appropriate content knowledge assessment. Individuals seeking to add a gifted education endorsement to an initial license must either take 24 semester hours in gifted teaching coursework OR must take 12 semester hours of gifted teaching coursework AND pass the Gifted Education test.

TBA: To Be Announced. All TBA scores will be available once the test is required.

This page is a supplement to The Praxis^® Tests Information Bulletin (PDF).

New Mexico Test Requirements

Tests required for initial licensure areas

Early Childhood Education

Elementary Education (K–8)

Middle School Education (5–9)

Secondary Education

Specialty Pre K–12

Special Education (Pre K–12)

Educational Administration (Pre K–12)

Instructional Support Provider

Endorsements