News in Brief: A State Capitals Roundup

The New Mexico school board has rejected the advice of one of its committees and adopted tougher standards than recommended for a new state teacher-certification test.

Under the board's Jan. 21 decision, an applicant for a teaching license would need a score of at least 69 percent to pass the general-knowledge part of the exam. Both a statewide committee of educators and a committee of the board had recommended 64 percent as a passing score.

The higher standards could make it more difficult to get educators into New Mexico classrooms. Of the prospective teachers who took the new exam in May and November last year, only 60 percent received a score of 69 or better on the general-knowledge section, said Marilyn Scargall, the director of professional licensure for...