Los Lunas Schools Launches Paid Teacher Residency Info Sessions with UNM Partnership

Los Lunas Schools announced a year-long, paid Teacher Residency Program in partnership with the UNM College of Education and Human Sciences designed to bring paid, guided preparation into local classrooms. The district says most residents will earn "$35,000+ for most residents," while Graduate Special Education candidates are eligible for "Full salary ($62,050) plus health benefits during residency year."

The residency pairs academic preparation with on-site experience, according to the district announcement, though the program description on the web contains an incomplete line that reads "pairs residents with experienc," leaving details about mentorship and mentor roles unfinished. The district also promoted the opportunity with the slogan "Get paid as a teacher resident!" and directed interested people to attend info sessions; no dates, times or locations for those sessions appear in the posted material. For more information the district names Dr. Marjori Krebs as Director of Residencies.

A related Los Lunas Schools job posting lists a full-time opening titled ELEMENTARY/SECONDARY CLASSROOM INTERVENTIONIST/EDUCATOR FELLOW 25/26 sy. The posting shows an application window with Start Date 12/03/2025 and End Date 12/12/2025, but the same posting also states "APPLICATION DEADLINE: Until filled." Interventionist/Educator Fellows "recommended for hire will be paid on the Los Lunas Schools Paraprofessional Salary Schedule." Hired participants will be eligible for the district's LLS Tuition Reimbursement Program, and new staff must complete a background check.

Minimum qualifications for the Fellow posting are straightforward and low-barrier: High School Diploma or equivalent; valid New Mexico Assistant License or licensable; familiarity with current trends in literacy and mathematics; and a stated preference that applicants "aspire to become a certified teacher." The posting lists administrative fields such as Shift Type: Full-Time and Location: Personnel Office, but the paraprofessional salary range itself is not provided on the announcement.

For Valencia County, the program could be a meaningful pipeline into classrooms where districts statewide have struggled to recruit certified teachers. Guaranteed paid preparation and tuition reimbursement lower financial barriers for local residents who want to become teachers, and the Graduate Special Education compensation option signals a targeted effort to staff hard-to-fill special education roles. At the same time, key operational details remain unclear on the district web pages: exact mentor arrangements, number of residency slots, whether general residents receive health benefits, and definitive application deadlines are not specified.

Residents interested in applying or attending info sessions should contact the Personnel Office or Dr. Marjori Krebs, Director of Residencies, to confirm current deadlines, session schedules and the full terms of mentorship and compensation. Clear answers from the district on those points will determine how quickly this program can convert local interest into credentialed teachers in Los Lunas classrooms.