NMPED News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) is moving forward with a plan to ensure all schools in the state have a minimum of 180 days of instruction beginning in the 2024-2025 school year.
The revisions reflect feedback received during the public comment period to best support students, families, educators, and communities.
The final rules include:
- 4 day school week calendar. The proposed rule revisions would allow for a four-day school week calendar.
- Early college high schools are exempt. Early college high schools are exempt from the 180-day instructional minimum requirement.
- School districts and charter schools with reading and language arts growth are exempt. Schools are eligible to be exempt from the 180-day minimum school day requirement under the revised regulations based on reading proficiency, language arts proficiency, and growth as determined by the Secretary.
- Minimum daily attendance for high school students. High school students must attend at least 3.5 hours of class (not class periods) each day unless they provide evidence of an equal amount of time participating in a practicum, work-study program, dual credit program, employment, or community . services or similar activities.
The 180-day minimum school day waiver in the 2024-2025 school year calendar extends to district-wide or charter school-wide proficiency for the 2023-2024 school year and proficiency growth from the 2022-2023 school year to the 2023-2024 school year. recognized based on. Reading scores are rounded to the nearest whole number and are based on state accountability assessments (MSSA, SAT, and iStation for K-2 only charter schools).
To be exempt from at least 180 days of instruction for the 2024-2025 school year, a school district or charter school must meet one of the following criteria:
- If the district or charter school's overall reading and language arts proficiency rate is less than 45 percent, the district or charter school must demonstrate at least a 15 percentage point increase in reading and language arts achievement.
- If the district or charter school's overall reading and language arts proficiency rate is greater than or equal to 45 percent but less than 65 percent, the district or charter school certifies at least 10 percentage points of growth in reading and language arts. is needed. Achievement.
- If the district or charter school's overall reading and language arts proficiency rate is greater than or equal to 65 percent but less than 80 percent, the district or charter school must demonstrate at least 8 percentage points of growth in reading and language arts. . Achievement.
- If a district or charter school's overall reading and language arts proficiency score is 80 percent or higher, the district or charter school is exempt from the 180-day instructional day requirement, regardless of growth.
“We have decided to adopt the 180-day calendar rule to equalize instructional time across the state,” Secretary of Public Instruction Arsenio Romero said in a statement. “We must improve student achievement across the state. Our students deserve better, and that starts with quality instructional time in the classroom. We know this is the key to changing the course of performance.”
House Bill 130 (HB130), passed during the 2023 legislative session, aims to increase the amount of instructional time for students. However, an analysis of the school calendar for the 2023-2024 school year found that many districts and charter schools had fewer than the required number, prompting PED to revise its rules.
Addressing New Mexico's educational challenges requires providing more instructional time for students. PED believes these changes will give the education community the flexibility to innovate and customize learning experiences to meet the needs of students.
“We are moving forward because it is what is best for our students. We have listened to you, considered your feedback, and after extensive review and research, we are confident that this is the best way to support student achievement. We know this is a big change for some communities, but we are here to support you through this adjustment. Together, we will work together for the youth of our state. We are working on it,” Chief Romero said.