GADSDEN, N.M. — District leaders told the Gadsden ISD board that New Mexico’s updated school accreditation process will require each school to meet 10 components annually and that evidence collection begins this school year.

Superintendent Dempsey and staff described the accreditation requirements as covering board training, audits, budgets, student information systems, attendance plans, next‑step plans for high school students, caseloads and curricular documentation. They said the state used the latest round of letters as a near‑universal accreditation distribution because many components had not yet been required; the current cycle begins evidence collection for future determinations.

Dempsey said training requirements are now specific: new board members must complete 10 hours and veteran members five hours, and he said he is exploring options to help members meet those hours. Staff noted that some evidence (for example, student records in the state’s reporting system) depends on accurate data and coordination across districts offices.

"It only takes one of them to get off accredited," Dempsey said, urging systematic collection of evidence. He told the board that an entrance interview with the state is scheduled for August and that auditors and business office staff would be involved.

Why it matters: Accreditation affects each school’s official status and can trigger required corrective actions; the district must coordinate multiple departments to collect documentation and meet new state standards.

What happens next: District staff will schedule evidence collection, brief principals and return to the board with timelines and findings as the state’s process advances.