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Board reviews state-aligned graduation requirements, discusses pathway changes for future freshmen
Summary
Staff briefed the board on edits to the district's graduation policy to align with recent state law, clarified which cohorts the changes affect, and warned that some CTE substitutions in English/math/science will be removed unless district committees set up course equivalencies.
Deming Public Schools staff briefed the board Oct. 9 on proposed policy language to align the district's graduation requirements with recent changes in New Mexico law and the NMSBA advisory service.
Why it matters: The changes reconcile language the board adopted in April with the state-adopted requirements that take effect for incoming freshmen in the 2025–26 school year; they also affect the pathways available to students with disabilities.
Staff told the board that the packet contains a consolidated graduation-policy advisory and that some of the language the district previously approved in April did not carry into the advisory as presented by the NMSBA. Staff recommended restoring policy language that aligns with state statute while noting one area requiring further local work: permitting certain career and technical education (CTE) courses to substitute for required English, math or science units would require a local committee to approve course equivalencies and teacher certifications.
Staff said the district currently requires 24 credits for graduation and offers up to seven credits per year in schedule options that allow students to exceed that minimum. The policy under discussion lists required units in English, math and science and specifies that, if the district chooses to let CTE or work-based learning courses count for core units, the district must convene committees and verify teacher certification and course equivalency before applying those substitutions to a cohort.
Staff also described how the changes affect students with individualized education programs (IEPs). Current sophomores, juniors and seniors may still use the modified graduation pathway or the alternate assessment pathway (Dynamic Learning Maps, DLM) depending on their IEPs; the new law removes the modified pathway for cohorts starting as freshmen in 2025–26, leaving the standard and alternate (DLM) options going forward.
Board members asked whether seniors could be left with few courses their final year; staff confirmed the district requires seniors to be enrolled in at least five courses and that summer and online options exist for students who fall behind. Staff said they will bring cleaned-up policy language and, where appropriate, a separate regulation or handbook pages listing the specific course numbers the district submitted to the state.
Staff proposed returning a revised policy for possible approval at the next board meeting and pledged to consult principals, special education staff and others as needed before that action.
