Student teaching is completed during the senior year or last semester of a TEP program. Each student spends a full semester in the classroom with an in-service teacher. Placements are made through the TEP Office of the College of HEST. Most students remain in the local districts, but there are opportunities abroad.
Student Teachers begin their semester according to the School District calendar, which is typically earlier than the NMSU calendar. Check with your Program Director regarding your expected start date for student teaching.
STEP application packets are due the semester before Student Teaching
STEP Submission
Students will submit their STEP packets using the online STEP submission portal (link provided below). Completed STEP application packets are due on:
- the 1st Friday in March (for Spring submission) and
- the 1st Friday in October (for Fall submission).
The STEP application portal will open 10 business days prior to the submission deadline. For the Fall 2024 STEP Submission, the portal will open on Sept. 23rd, with all completed applications due by noon on October 4, 2024.
Ready to submit your STEP Packet? Use the link below to access the STEP Portal to submit your documents:
SUBMIT HERE
STEP Placement Meeting
After successful review of your STEP packet, you will be notified by your Program Director regarding a placement meeting for students who are approved for student teaching. Information shared at this placement meeting includes: campus placement, cooperating teacher, grade, tentative schedule for student teaching, basic lesson plan format and reflection process, substitute teaching policy, explanation of TRIAD meetings and the cooperating teacher handbook. The date and time for the placement meeting will be shared with students upon acceptance. This placement meeting is a mandatory meeting. Information regarding the date and time for the STEP Placement Meeting will be shared via email by the TEP Program Directors
STEP Application Resources
The following application resources are required for the student teaching packet. Download them in order to complete the resource, and then upload with your STEP packet.
| Program Area |
Student Info Card | Self-Evaluation | Lesson Plan Template |
| Early Childhood Education | ECED Student Info Card | ECED Self-Evaluation | ECED Lesson Template |
| Elementary Education | ELEM Student Info Card | ELEM Self-Evaluation | ELEM Lesson Template |
| Special Education |
SPED/ELEM use the ELEM Student Info Card SPED/Secondary use the SED Student Info Card |
SPED Self-Evaluation |
SPED/ELEM use the ELEM Lesson Template SPED/Secondary use the Secondary Lesson Template |
| Secondary Education | Secondary Self-Evaluation | Secondary Lesson Template | |
| K-12 Music Education | use the Secondary Self-Evaluation | Music Ed Lesson Template | |
| K-12 Physical Education | PE Student Info Card | use the Secondary Self-Evaluation |
Testing Requirements
For Spring 2024 student teachers and beyond, new testing requirements have gone into effect:
There will be NO Praxis testing requirements for submission of the STEP packets.
The State of NM Public Education Department has removed most testing requirements for teacher licensure. The NMSU TEP has adopted a standardized portfolio that will serve as a rigorous approval process to becoming a licensed educator in the State of New Mexico and Praxis examination pathways will be removed for educators that will graduate from New Mexico institutions of higher education in the spring, 2024.
ELEMENTARY -
All Elementary Educators seeking licensure must still complete Praxis: Teaching of Reading Elementary Examination per state statute 22-10A-1 NMSU 1978.
The Teaching of Reading Elementary Examination will be taken during Student Teaching for all Elementary Education majors.
SPECIAL EDUCATION -
All SPED majors seeking licensure must still complete Praxis SE: Foundational Knowledge (5355) per state statute 22-10A-8.
The SE:Foundational Knowledge Examination will be taken during Student Teaching for all SPED majors.
Praxis Licensure Exams required for old Spring 2023 and Fall 2023 Student Teachers:
| Program Area | When to take exam | Testing Requirement (test #) | Qualifying Score |
| Early Childhood Education | During Student Teaching | Education of Young Children (5024) | 160 |
| Elementary Education | Before STEP | Elementary Education: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (5017) | 153 |
| During Student Teaching | Teaching Reading: Elementary Education (5205)
Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K-6 (5622) |
159
160 |
|
| Secondary Education | Before STEP
(take the specific exam for your content area) |
English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038) General Sciences: Content Knowledge (5435) Mathematics: Content Knowledge (5165) Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081) |
167 152 159 154 |
| During Student Teaching | Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7-12 (5624) | 157 | |
| Special Education | Before STEP | Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications (5354)
*If SPED/Secondary, must also take Content Knowledge Exam listed above |
151
|
| During Student Teaching | Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K-6 (5622)
OR Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7-12 (5624) |
160
157 |
|
| Music Education | Before STEP | Music: Content Knowledge (5113) | 161 |
| During Student Teaching | Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K-6 (5622)
OR Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7-12 (5624) |
160
157 |
|
| Physical Education | Before STEP | Physical Education: Content Knowledge (5091) | 148 |
| During Student Teaching | Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K-6 (5622)
OR Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7-12 (5624) |
160
157 |
