El Rito Media News Services

A new report released by New Mexico State University’s Southwest Outreach Academic Research Evaluation and Policy Center found an 18% decrease in teacher vacancies in the state, along with an increase in the number of students admitted to an educator preparation program.

The report indicates a continuing trend in an overall decrease in educator vacancies in New Mexico. A 2024 study reported a 2% decrease in teacher vacancies. As of Oct. 13, there were 1,115 educator vacancies, with 604 teacher vacancies included in the total.

As in years past, the area with the highest need was special education, which had 216 teacher vacancies, making up 36% of all teacher vacancies. However, compared to the previous year’s study, those vacancies are also on the decline.

Elementary teachers had the second-largest total with 128 vacancies, or 21% of all teacher vacancies.

Overall, early childhood teacher vacancies had the largest increase, going from 23 vacancies last year to 29 this year.

Rick Marlatt, dean of the NMSU College of Health, Education and Social Transformation, said faculty and staff in the School of Teacher Preparation, Administration and Leadership are ensuring that key investments made by the state are being leveraged to generate success in decreasing teacher vacancies, such as teacher residencies, teacher-pipeline funding, faculty endowments, communities of practice and more.

“Particularly promising is the data from the southwest region, which features our two most prominent school district partners in the Gadsden Independent School District and the Las Cruces Public Schools, where vacancies have steadily decreased from 64 in 2023 to 51 in 2024, and now to 35 in 2025,” Marlatt said. “We are grateful for the tremendous support we receive from the state and are highly encouraged by this year’s report.”

According to the report, New Mexico saw an increase in students admitted to an educator preparation program during the 2024-25 academic year. A total of 2,014 students were admitted compared to 1,826 students in the 2023-24 academic year.

Also in the 2024-25 academic year, 1,153 students completed an educator preparation program, seven fewer than the previous academic year. The study included four-year and two-year institutions in New Mexico, along with the Leading Educators through Alternative Pathways program.

NMSU has also seen a steady increase in students enrolling in teacher education programs, thanks to the state’s efforts in addressing teacher vacancies.

“Enrollment in NMSU’s teacher education programs has increased by 92% since the 2019-2020 school year, demonstrating the powerful impact of the state’s investments in educator preparation,” said Leanna Lucero, interim director of the School of TPAL. “This remarkable growth reflects a shared commitment among our faculty, district partners and state leaders to strengthen the teacher pipeline, and it also speaks to the passion and purpose of our students. More people than ever are answering the call to teach, bringing energy, compassion and a deep dedication to serving New Mexico’s children and communities. Their enthusiasm fuels the work we do every day to prepare skilled and transformative educators.”

Staff Reports

Karen Kincaid Brady is set to become the executive director of the New Mexico Museum of Space History, effective October 27, 2025.

“We are thrilled to welcome Karen to the New Mexico Museum of Space History,” said Debra Garcia y Griego, cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. “Her combined expertise in history, preservation, and museum leadership, paired with her lifelong passion for space history, will help inspire future generations through the remarkable story of New Mexico’s role in space exploration.”

Kincaid Brady brings more than a decade of experience in museum management, historic preservation, and public programming. She most recently served as business and programming director at the Neill-Cochran House Museum in Austin, Texas, where she oversaw daily operations, staff and volunteer management, fundraising, and community partnerships. Prior to that, she was project manager and historic preservation lead at R&K Solutions, Inc., directing preservation projects that culminated in museum exhibitions, including one at the Museum of Science and History in Jacksonville, Florida.

“My love for space history began during my childhood visits to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum,” Kincaid Brady said. “Joining the New Mexico Museum of Space History feels like coming full circle. I’m excited to continue advancing the museum’s mission to share the stories of innovation, exploration, and discovery that define both New Mexico and our journey into space.”

As executive director, she will oversee the museum’s operations, exhibitions, research, and educational programs, ensuring its continued role as one of New Mexico’s premier cultural institutions.

Kincaid Brady has master’s degrees in historic preservation from the University of Texas at Austin, and in history from the University of Texas at San Antonio, as well as a graduate certificate in historic preservation from UT San Antonio. Her academic work includes Preservation Moon: Defining and Preserving the Cultural Landscape of Tranquility Base, a study that reflects her deep interest in the heritage of space exploration.