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20,375 students earned diplomas, reflecting a 1.34 percentage point increase over the previous year.
Source: New Mexico Public Education Department
Photo: Pre-COVID Graduation Photo Courtesy Las Cruces Public Schools (via Facebook)
SANTA FE – The New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) announced today that 78.04% of students in Cohort 2024—those who began ninth grade in the 2020–2021 school year—graduated within the standard four-year period. This translates to 20,375 students earning diplomas and reflects a 1.34 percentage point increase over the previous year.
The graduation rate of Cohort 2024 is noteworthy because it is both the highest graduation rate and the highest total number of graduating students in the last 15 years. Additionally, one of the largest improvements was among English learners (ELs), with 74.9% graduating in 2023 and 77.5% in 2024, an increase of 2.6%.
“Graduation is a crucial milestone in every student’s life, and we are proud to see continued progress across the state,” said Public Education Secretary Mariana D. Padilla. “This increase reflects the hard work of our educators, students and families, and it underscores our shared commitment to student success. At the same time, we recognize that too many students are still not making it to the finish line—and we must continue working together to ensure every student has the support they need to graduate.”
Improving graduation rates is a key goal in the Public Education Department’s Strategic Plan. While this year’s growth is a promising sign, additional progress is needed for New Mexico to reach the national average graduation rate of approximately 87%. To meet this benchmark by Cohort 2027, approximately 2,400 more students would need to graduate on time.
Several schools and districts stood out for their strong graduation outcomes and notable year-over-year improvement. La Cueva High and Volcano Vista High in Albuquerque maintained high graduation rates and saw significant gains from the Class of 2023. Several large Albuquerque area high schools demonstrated measurable improvements in graduation outcomes, including Highland, Valley, Sandia, Eldorado, Rio Grande and Albuquerque High.
Gadsden High and Santa Teresa High in the Gadsden Independent School District saw persistently high graduation rates across multiple years, both roughly 89% in 2024. Gadsden Independent School District has taken major steps to improve data collection, focusing on student mobility, attendance and course grades, while taking advantage of the Multi Layered System of Supports, a framework designed to provide a coordinated approach to supporting students’ academic, behavioral and social-emotional needs. Gadsden and Santa Teresa are also career technical education (CTE) program participants.
Among schools with a smaller graduating class, Tularosa High of Tularosa Municipal Schools attained a graduation growth rate of 20% and a four-year graduation rate of 91.8%. Dulce High of Dulce Independent Schools attained a graduation growth rate of 20.6% and a four-year graduation rate of 93.3%.
Schools that achieved high graduation rates or made significant gains for Cohort 2024 shared several common strategies:
- Close monitoring of students’ course completion and credit accumulation
- Implementation of early warning systems to identify and support at-risk students
- Strategic planning through school improvement plans, which helped schools align resources and interventions to student needs
- Participation in Perkins and Nextgen CTE programs
- Ensuring that students set personal goals through their Next Step Plan prior to entering high school
These successes reflect the power of data-informed decision-making, strong student supports and a culture of high expectations.
The PED urges high schools to focus on strategies that help students stay on track to graduate, which includes keeping students engaged, recognizing early when they need support, and providing timely and effective interventions.
The PED website contains more information on graduation data as well as the agency’s Strategic Plan.
Numbers of Note: Local Early College High Schools Among Best in New Mexico
Gadsden Independent School District: Alta Vista Early College High School
| School | Demographic | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| ALTA VISTA ECHS | All | 100 |
| ALTA VISTA ECHS | Male | 100 |
| ALTA VISTA ECHS | Female | 100 |
| ALTA VISTA ECHS | Hispanic | 100 |
| ALTA VISTA ECHS | English Language Learner | 100 |
| ALTA VISTA ECHS | Economically Disadvantaged | 100 |
Las Cruces Public Schools: Arrowhead Park Early College High School
| School | Demographic | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| ARROWHEAD PARK ECHS | All | 96.62 |
| ARROWHEAD PARK ECHS | Caucasian | 96.96 |
| ARROWHEAD PARK ECHS | Hispanic | 97.17 |
| ARROWHEAD PARK ECHS | Economically Disadvantaged | 97.19 |
| ARROWHEAD PARK ECHS | Male | 97.44 |
| ARROWHEAD PARK ECHS | English Language Learner | 97.56 |
