Study Guide
Program and Test Information
The purpose of the New Mexico Teacher Assessments™ program is to help the state meet its goal of ensuring that all candidates seeking licensure in New Mexico have the basic skills and professional teaching and content knowledge necessary to perform the job of an educator in New Mexico public schools.
For current information on testing requirements, program policies, and specific tests, see the Tests section of the website. You are encouraged to read this information carefully and to determine with your academic advisor the best time for you to take the tests.
About the Tests
These tests comprise a comprehensive and integrative assessment program for educator licensure in New Mexico. They satisfy the basic skills and knowledge testing requirement for educator licensure in New Mexico and, except for some licensure under interstate reciprocity, are required for individuals seeking an initial New Mexico license. Each test covers a different component of important knowledge and skills required of New Mexico educators.
Passing status is determined on the basis of your total score for the test. For tests that include constructed-response assignments, the total score will be based on the combined score from the selected-response and constructed-response sections. Your score report will provide a total score for the test. Please refer to the Score Report Explanation on the back of your examinee score report for more information. You can also find a Score Report Explanation for each type of test in the NMTA program in the Get Results section of the website, as well as score report dates and other score reporting information.
Test Development Process
The table below outlines the major steps in the process of creating a custom New Mexico test for the NMTA program.
| Task | Description |
|---|---|
| Develop Test Frameworks |
The content of each test is documented in the test framework. The test frameworks consist of a set of test competencies organized into test subareas and a set of descriptive statements that elaborate on the content of each test competency. During the development of the test frameworks, key state and national documents and New Mexico educators were consulted. Committees of New Mexico educators reviewed the test frameworks and made revisions, as necessary, to ensure that the test frameworks are accurate, free of bias, job related, representative of the diversity of the state, and consistent with the purposes of the program. |
| Validate Test Content |
Randomly-sampled practicing New Mexico K–12 educators and educator preparation program faculty completed a content validation survey to ensure that the test frameworks reflect the knowledge and skills considered to be important for performing the job of an educator in New Mexico. |
| Develop Test Questions |
Test questions were developed to assess the content defined by the test frameworks. Committees of New Mexico educators were convened to review and approve the test questions. Several hundred students preparing to teach at different certification levels field-tested the questions at field test sites throughout New Mexico. |
| Set Passing Scores |
A committee of New Mexico educators was convened following the first test administration to recommend the passing score for each of the New Mexico Teacher Assessments. The final passing scores have been established by the New Mexico Public Education Department. |