Information on Academic Programs, Special Education Instruction, and Graduation Requirements
Special Education Instruction and Services
If your child has an existing individualized education program (IEP) or has an existing IEP and needs a reevaluation to determine eligibility for special education in New Mexico, APS will provide comparable services until an APS IEP is developed (generally within 30 days.)
If you believe your child may have a disability and is in need of special education, you may make a written or oral referral to your child’s school. Learn more about Child Find.
Special Education Instruction
APS provides programs and services to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities. Learn more about Special Education Instruction.
Advanced Placement (AP)
APS offers flexible deadlines to our students of military parents who are interested in our Advanced Placement programs.
Our Advanced Placement Programs site provides information about:
- screening procedures for elementary and middle school students.
- programs offered to high school students.
Graduation Requirements - Credit Verification
Students earn verified credits when they pass the class and the associated New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) Local Demonstration of Graduation Competency test.
New Mexico statute (22-13-1.1) sets requirements for graduating from a New Mexico high school based on a student’s cohort (the year the student entered grade 9) for both coursework and competency in five content areas: reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies. New Mexico Administrative Code (6.19.7 and 6.29.1.9) provides specific requirements.
Twenty-five (25) credits are required for graduation.
The credits will be distributed as follows:
- English: 4.0 credits
- Mathematics: 4.0 credits
- Social Studies: 3.5 credits
- U.S History and Geography (1.0)
- World History and Geography (1.0)
- Government (0.5)
- Economics (0.5)
- New Mexico History (0.5)
- Science: 3.0 credits *All credits must have a laboratory component.
- Physical Education: 1.0 credit
- Health: 0.5 credit
- Electives: 8.0 credits
- Career or Workplace Readiness or Language other than English: 1.0
*These courses may be courses taken as electives that satisfy the elective credit requirement in addition to this requirement.
*At least one credit taken by a student must be Honors, Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment, or Distance Learning. These courses may be courses taken to satisfy any of the other credit requirements in addition to this requirement.
Courses taken outside of New Mexico with an end-of-course state assessment may be reviewed for verified credit following an identified APS process.
We encourage parents to work with their child's school counselor to ensure they receive all test scores from the previous school. If you have further questions about verified credits, please see your child’s school counselor.
