New Mexico High School Graduation Requirements

Program Description:  

In 2024, the state legislature of New Mexico passed House Bill 171, which completely reimagined the state’s high school graduation requirements. Key changes to the graduation requirements center around better alignment with New Mexico’s workforce and higher education landscape, including the addition of two units decided on by local school boards or charter school governing bodies, as long as they meet Public Education Department academic content and performance standards.  

One change was the development of graduation profiles, which local education agencies are required to develop. These profiles are meant to demonstrate what students will know by the time they graduate and must connect to the Next Step Plans. Next Step Plans are created in eighth grade by students and continuously revised throughout high school to help map their academic journeys and priorities and plans for the years after graduation.  

Another major change came with the introduction of greater flexibility in how students earn credits needed for graduation. Career and technical education and work-based learning were added as acceptable forms of credit-bearing courses, allowing students to gain real-world experience while completing course credits. Lastly, the state also removed the competency demonstration requirement, allowing students to graduate upon completion of required credits, rather than additional assessments.  

Impact:  

When New Mexico set out to pass this transformative bill, reshaping the education landscape of their state, their goal was to accelerate a shift toward a high school experience that truly prepares all learners for the future. With these new changes in high school graduation requirements, they provide students with more flexibility and support to graduate on time and on track for a successful future.  

Population Served:  

The state of New Mexico’s high school graduation requirements apply to all graduating high school seniors in the state of New Mexico.  

Learn more here.

Page last updated in August 2026