In Mexico, basic education teachers are trained in places called Normal Schools. In 1984, these Mexican Teacher Training Schools were classified as Higher Education Institutions, implying that, besides teaching, they must carry out and disseminate research. Currently, research is still in development and, in some cases, incipient. The objective of this article is to understand why research has not yet been consolidated in Mexican Teacher Training Schools. We used a qualitative approach, interviewing school board members, conducting surveys of teacher educators and focus groups, and employing participant observation. Teacher educators are motivated to do research, but given the lack of adequate working conditions in which to conduct it, teaching continues to be their main activity.