Public Education Secretary Dr. Karen Trujillo announced on Tuesday that New Mexico’s official 2017-2018 four-year graduation rate was 73.9 percent, an all-time high. This figure is nearly three percentage points higher than the 71.1 percent four-year rate in the 2016-2017 school year. Graduation rates increased across all student subgroups, including Hispanic and American Indian students, students with disabilities, and English learners.
“Let’s give credit where credit is due,” said Secretary Trujillo. “The continued upward trend in the statewide graduation rate is because of the hard work of students and educators throughout our state over a period of many years. We will continue to work together with local school leaders to build on these impressive gains.”
“The department’s leadership team celebrates schools that continue to produce a high percentage of students ready for their chosen path following high school,” Secretary Trujillo added. “Just as important, though, is ensuring that we support all schools as they work to increase their graduation rates and other important indicators of student success.”
The four-year graduation rate reflects the percentage of first-time 9th grade students during the 2014-2015 school year who earned a New Mexico Diploma of Excellence within four years, after accounting for transfers to and from the state’s public school system. These methods mirror those of other states.
For the first time, the New Mexico Public Education Department (NM PED) calculated and reported graduation rates for students who experience homelessness. The department will also release graduation rates for students in foster care this spring. These important additions to the department’s reporting will help spotlight the needs of these at-risk students.
NM PED calculates and reports four-, five-, and six-year graduation rates at the state, district, school, and subgroup levels. These rates and the technical details on the calculations are available at
https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/accountability/graduation. It is important to note that some figures have been suppressed when necessary to protect student privacy.
The graduation rate is just one indicator in the state’s proposed revision of the system of school support and accountability, which NM PED submitted to the U.S. Department of Education on March 1 after stakeholder input. The suite of graduation rates, including growth in the four-year rate, will make up 15 percent of a high school’s overall accountability index score.