New state requirements affect Las Cruces students

A bill signed into law in 2023 that changes graduation requirements goes into effect this school year.

Major changes include removing Algebra II as a requirement, implementing more work-based learning and career preparation, and greater flexibility in what classes students need to take.

New Mexico State Representative and educator Andrés Romero, D-Albuquerque, said that this change has been needed for some time.

“When I first introduced the bill, it had been 15 years or so since the last changes,” Romero said. “I was hearing from folks and parents and students and what they wanted to see was more student choice.”

The change also has a greater emphasis on career focused learning. Career Technical Education aims to help high schoolers prepare for the workforce all while earning credits to graduate.

Work Based Learning is an extension of CTE and will include internships with local businesses, universities and even the school district. These opportunities will count for credits and will also have the chance of paying students with funding from the state. 

“We have been to various school districts where they have a carpentry program or a plumbing program and have done it really well.” Romero said. “That’s really something that we are excited to see and hopefully we will start to see flourish in the state.”

Romero also said that the added flexibility in the graduation requirements will hopefully lead to students taking classes they are interested in and attending school more.

Deputy Superintendent of Las Cruces Public Schools Wendi Miller-Tomlinson said that the district has offered students a “menu” of different paths to take when it comes to Career Technical Education.

This includes clusters ranging from health sciences to architecture and audio-visual tech.

 “Its really meeting the needs of students so they can be successful when they leave and are prepared for whatever their goal is,” Tomlinson said.

While Algebra II is no longer a requirement, it will still be offered at schools and other math courses can be taken if students decides it is not in line with their goals.

“We have some applied math, financial literacy, some things like that that may be a better fit for what their post-secondary goals are,” Tomlinson said. “It’s really just flexibility and not to treat every student exactly the same.”

School is scheduled to begin for kindergarteners, sixth and ninth graders on July 25. All other grades will start on July 28.