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Committee backs bill to let middle and high school teachers count up to 60 professional work hours toward instructional time
Summary
Senate Education advanced House Bill 238 to allow middle and high school teachers to use up to 60 instructional hours per year for embedded professional work time, aligning secondary teachers with elementary allowances; committee supporters argued the change promotes teacher quality and local control.
The Senate Education Committee voted to advance House Bill 238, which would permit middle and high school districts to count up to 60 instructional hours per school year as professional work hours for teachers — the same maximum currently allowed in many elementary settings.
Representative Collin presented the bill, and Dr. Cleveland, identified in the record as the superintendent of Rio Rancho Public Schools, urged the committee to approve the change to create parity across grade levels. "Specifically, we are requesting that secondary educators be granted the same number of professional hours that are currently available to our elementary educators," Dr. Cleveland said, noting the time helps teachers plan, collaborate and contact families.
Supporters, including Public Charter Schools of New Mexico, AFT New Mexico and NEA New Mexico, said aligning hours would improve training and reduce calendar idiosyncrasies in districts that serve both elementary and secondary students. Carrie Robin Brunder of Public Charter Schools noted a scheduling issue for k‑8 schools where "half of the school can have 60 hours of professional development, but the other half can't."
Committee members asked about accountability and instructional‑hour requirements. Senators were reminded that districts must still meet the statutory minimum of 1,140 instructional hours and that the bill retains local control: the change authorizes districts to use up to 60 hours for embedded professional work but does not require any district to do so. The sponsors emphasized the legislation is permissive and intended to let districts choose calendar policies that reflect local needs.
The committee recorded a do‑pass motion for House Bill 238; the clerk announced the bill passed out of committee.
Why it matters: supporters framed the bill as a tool to improve teacher quality and retention by granting secondary teachers parity with elementary colleagues for embedded professional time while maintaining local control and statutory instructional‑hour minimums.
Votes at a glance
- House Bill 238 — Motion to pass: Passed (committee moved to advance the bill).
