High School
Graduation
Requirements
A Parent’s Guide
(Modified from NMPED Slide Show)
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Graduation Requirements
1. Course Requirements
2. Assessment Requirements
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PAPA Course Requirements
• 4 credits English Language Arts
• 4 credits Math including Algebra II or equivalent
• 3.5 credits Social Studies including US History and Geography,
World History and Geography, Government and Economics, and
0.5 credit of NM History
• 3 credits Science, 2 of which must be lab sciences
• .5 credit Health
• 1 credit Physical Education
• 1 credit Career cluster course, workplace readiness or non-English
language
• 7 credits Elective courses
24 Total Credits
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Course Requirements
•At least one course must be Honors (H), Advanced
Placement (AP), Dual Credit (DC), or Distance Learning
(DL).
•Distance Learning requires a LIVE HQ INSTRUCTOR
interacting with a student from separate locations.
•Distance Learning is not:
Online Course
Credit Recovery
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Assessment Requirements
NMSA 1978 § 22-13-1-1-M
Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, a student shall
not receive a New Mexico diploma of excellence if the
student has not demonstrated competence in the subject
areas of mathematics, reading and language arts, writing,
social studies and science, including a section on the
constitution of the United States and the constitution of
New Mexico, based on a standards-based assessment or
assessments or a portfolio of standards-based indicators
established by the department by rule.
Assessment Requirements for
High School Graduation
Primary Demonstration of Competency
• Math, Reading, Science: Pass NMSBA
• Writing and Social Studies: Pass 1 End Of
Course exam (EoC) for each (the EoC
should be the final exam)
Alternate Demonstration of Competency (ADC)
ADC: Provides additional opportunities for
students to meet assessment
requirements.
ADCs include:
EoC’s
Career College Readiness (CCR)
Assessments (PSAT, ACT, SAT, etc.)
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Alternate Demonstration of Competency (ADC)
• If students do not demonstrate
competency initially, they may use cut
scores for one of the following as an ADC:
» ACT
» PLAN
» PSAT
» SAT
» Accuplacer
» COMPASS
» IB Program
» AP
» EoC
District-Developed EoC’s
• Districts may develop EoC’s for any course.
• Follow FULL SET OF Quality Criteria and submit for
approval.
• http://www.ped.state.nm.us/AssessmentAccountability/Assessme
ntEvaluation/EOC/2013/EoC%20Quality%20Criteria%20V.1.1FINA
Lpdf.pdf
Assessment Requirements
A student must attempt ALL administrations
of the SBA before implementing a passing
EoC or other ADC score.
Students may bank passing scores
proactively.
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Graduation Exit Exam Requirements
Reading and Math: New Mexico Standards-Based Assessment (NMSBA) will be administered to high school
students beginning their tenth grade year (H2). The test is also required for the eleventh grade year (H3). In
the traditional demonstration of competency for math and reading, students must achieve a minimum
composite score of 2273 on the New Mexico SBA, with neither individual score at the beginning step. If a
student meets or exceeds this requirement in tenth grade, the score is banked and the student considered
passing math and reading. The student still is required to take the eleventh grade testing as a measure of
school progress. If the student does not meet the requirement in tenth or eleventh grade, he/she has one
more chance to take the test during the twelfth grade year (H4) during a special testing session in the fall.
Students who have not met the reading and math requirement through any combination of math and
reading assessments as H2, H3, or H4 can show proficiency through and Alternate Demonstration of
Competency (ADC) as described in the following chart.
Science: Science testing through the NMSBA must result in a score of 1138 or higher as an H3 student. If this
requirement is not met, the students can use an ADC as described in the following chart
Social Studies: Social Studies is not tested through the NMSBA. Instead, students must pass the End of
Course Exam (EoC) or an equivalent test as described in the following chart. PAPA uses the EoC developed by
the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED).
Writing: For writing, students demonstrate competency by passing the writing EoC developed by NMPED or
an equivalent described following chart.
New Mexico statutes also allow for use of a portfolio as an ADC. The guidelines for this have not been
established.
Graduation
Class
2014
Traditional
Reading
Math
SBA Reading
score nearing
proficient with a
combined
Reading and
Math score of
2273 or Reading
score of 1137
SBA Math score
nearing
proficient with a
combined
Reading and
Math score of
2273 or Math
score or 1137
Pass EoC exam in
English 11
2014
Alternate
Demonstration
of
Competency
(ADC)
Or Score:
ACT 18 English
Comp
PLAN 15 English
Comp
SAT 450 Reading
PSAT 50 Reading
Accuplacer 85
AP Exam 3 or
higher
Pass EoC exam in
Algebra II or Pass
the Algebra II
Class and Pass
the Algebra I
EoC.
Or Score:
ACT 22 Math
PLAN 19 Math
SAT 450 Math
PSAT 50 Math
AP Exam 3 or
higher
Or Score:
Accuplacer:
Elem Alg 117 or
College Math 115
Science
Social
Studies
Writing
Waiver or
Exceptions
SBA score of
1138
Pass EoC exam in
Biology or
Chemistry
If student
completed US
History during or
before 2011-12
or has a College
or Career
Readiness (CCR)
score at
benchmark; No
EoC exam is
required.
Or Score:
ACT 24 Biology
PLAN 21 Biology
Otherwise: Pass
AP Exam 3 or
EoC exam in US
higher
History,
Economics, US
Or for 2014
Government, NM
Graduates:
Students passing History, or World
a science course History and
Geography
between 201113 have met the
proficiency
standard.
Pass EoC exam in
English 11 or 12
Or Score:
ACT 18 English
Comp
SAT 450 Reading
PSAT 49 Reading
Accuplacer 109
ACT 21 Reading
PLAN 17 Reading
Students may use
ADC only after
exhausting ALL
NMSBA and EoC
retake options;
Students on
special education
career or ability
pathway must
meet the score
required by their
IEP;
No other waivers
are available at
this time.
Students with
IEPs, 504 Plans, ELL Plans
Standard Pathway: meet all established cut scores with
assessment accommodations.
Career Pathway: IEP team can set cut scores after initial
assessment. Student must meet individualized cut score on an
assessment in each content area. These students have 1
additional attempt on each EoC.
Ability Pathway: Take NMAPA. IEP team sets cut scores. Student
must meet individualized cut score in each content area.
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Transfer Students
• Held to same requirements (course and
assessment) as NM students.
• Passed an exit exam in a different state  may
use passing scores for all passed subjects.
• Complete “Graduation Waiver” and submit to
PED.
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