22-8-9: Budgets; minimum requirements.

A. An operating budget for a school district shall not be approved by the department if the educational plan does not provide for:

(1) a school year and school day that includes instructional hours and professional work hours as provided in Section 22-2-8.1 NMSA 1978; and

(2) a pupil-teacher ratio or class or teaching load as provided in Section 22-10A-20 NMSA 1978.

B. The department shall, by rule, establish the requirements for an instructional day, the standards for an instructional hour and the standards for a full-time teacher and for the equivalent thereof.