TITLE 6                 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

CHAPTER 34       RURAL EDUCATION

PART 2                 FLEXIBILITY FOR RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS

 

6.34.2.1                 ISSUING AGENCY:  Public Education Department

[6.34.2.1 NMAC - N, 08-31-06]

 

6.34.2.2                 SCOPE:  This rule applies to public schools and school districts.

[6.34.2.2 NMAC - N, 08-31-06]

 

6.34.2.3                 STATUTORY AUTHORITY:  This regulation is promulgated pursuant to Section 22-2-1 and 9-24-8 NMSA 1978.

[6.34.2.3 NMAC - N, 08-31-06]

 

6.34.2.4                 DURATION:  Permanent

[6.34.2.4 NMAC - N, 08-31-06]

 

6.34.2.5                 EFFECTIVE DATE:  August 31, 2006, unless a later date is cited at the end of a section.

[6.34.2.5 NMAC - N, 08-31-06]

 

6.34.2.6                 OBJECTIVE:  This rule establishes the general provisions and definitions applicable to rural education.

[6.34.2.6 NMAC - N, 08-31-06]

 

6.34.2.7                 DEFINITIONS:

                A.            "Rural local educational agency (“rural LEA”)” means a local school district meeting the following criteria:

                    (1)     the total number of students in average daily attendance at all schools served by the school district is fewer than 600, OR all schools in the district are located in counties with a population density of fewer than 10 persons per square mile; AND

                    (2)     all schools served by the school district have a school locale code of 7 or 8 as determined by the secretary of the United States department of education in its small, rural school achievement eligibility spreadsheet for a given year.

                B.            “Small rural school achievement spreadsheet (“SRSA”)” means that spreadsheet developed by the United States department of education office of elementary and secondary education for a given fiscal year/school year delineating those New Mexico school districts as eligible for the SRSA program for that fiscal year.

[6.34.2.7 NMAC - N, 08-31-06]

 

6.34.2.8                 FLEXIBILITY FOR RURAL SCHOOLS

                A.            Unless otherwise prohibited by federal law or regulation, school districts meeting the definition of rural LEA and currently employing teachers who teach multiple subjects but do not meet all the criteria for a highly qualified teacher in each of the core academic subjects they teach may have until the end of the 2006-2007 school year for these teachers to be highly qualified in each subject that they teach.

                B.            Newly hired teachers in school districts meeting the definition of rural LEA will have three years from the date of hire to become highly qualified in each core academic subject that they teach.

                C.            School districts using the flexibility described in subsections A and B of the section must:

                    (1)     ensure that all teachers in core academic areas are highly qualified in at least one core academic subject they teach;

                    (2)     provide high-quality professional development that increases the teachers’ content knowledge in the additional subjects they teach; and

                    (3)     provide mentoring or a program of intensive supervision that consists of structured guidance  and regular, ongoing support so that they become highly qualified in the additional core academic subject(s) they teach.

[6.34.2.8 NMAC - N, 08-31-06]

 

6.34.2.9                 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

                A.            School districts not included in the annual SRSA listing may also be assisted through an application process to the rural education division of the public education department.  Examples of assistance include:

                    (1)     school/community revitalization program;

                    (2)     filling teacher vacancies;

                    (3)     interpretation of test results;

                    (4)     advice on continuous improvement programs; and

                    (5)     integrating distance education programs.

                B.            The rural education division will develop an application for school districts to use in submitting requests for assistance.  The application will address the following components:

                    (1)     percentage of students eligible for free and reduced price lunch;

                    (2)    percentage of minority enrollment;

                    (3)     migrant student population;

                    (4)     poverty rates;

                    (5)     accessibility to service centers;

                    (6)     administrator turnover;

                    (7)     ethnicity discrepancies between students and teachers and students and principals;

                    (8)     transportation costs; and

                    (9)    property wealth.

[6.34.2.9 NMAC - N, 08-31-06]

 

HISTORY OF 6.34.2 NMAC:  [Reserved]