High School Students in New Mexico Excel in Career Technical Education

Last year, high school students in New Mexico who enrolled in programs related to law enforcement, architecture, manufacturing, and information technology among other career technical areas demonstrated academic achievement.

In 2023, 95.7% of over 64,000 New Mexican high school students participating in Career Technical Education programs in their local school districts successfully graduated.

Comparatively, the overall graduation rate for all students statewide stood at 76.7%.

Janelle Taylor Garcia, accompanied by Public Education Department Secretary Aresenio Romero, visited high schools in Gadsden, Bernalillo, and Hatch during the previous school year.

These visits highlighted the impact of substantial new state investments and revisions to graduation requirements on creating viable pathways for students pursuing career tech coursework with aspirations to enter the workforce directly after high school.

Taylor Garcia praised program leaders in various school districts for their innovative and hands-on approach.

At Hatch Valley Public Schools, students engaged with career technical education (CTE) curriculum that offered practical applications in areas like agricultural power structures and animal care, providing them with valuable hands-on experience.

Bernalillo Public Schools expanded its Innovative Learning Space to enhance students’ exposure to advanced technology and robotics.

Gadsden Independent School District responded actively to student requests by introducing CTE Programs of Study, including a specialized program in law enforcement based on student demand and regional workforce needs.

Legislative funding and external grants have significantly contributed to the expansion of CTE programs in New Mexico, with $40 million allocated from 2023 to 2024 for CTE initiatives through statewide grants and general appropriations.

House Bill 198 passed in 2023 extended the reach of career technical education grants to schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Education.

The primary areas benefiting from state funding for CTE programs include architecture, construction, manufacturing, information technology, and health sciences.

Additional funding, such as the Careers2Communities grant awarded in 2020 and a recent grant in 2023, have been instrumental in integrating career exploration into core academic content and improving accessibility to CTE resources for students with disabilities.

House Bill 171 passed in 2024 altered graduation requirements for students entering ninth grade in the 2025-2026 academic year by mandating enrollment in a career cluster course, workplace readiness, or a non-English language class, along with a two-unit pathway that may incorporate CTE programs.

Students are classified under the CTE program if they complete two or more courses in a career cluster program.

The graduation rates for “at-risk” student subgroups following a CTE track also displayed improvement.

As part of the education reform initiative spurred by the Yazzie-Martinez lawsuit, graduation rates for students with disabilities, those living in poverty, English learners, and Native Americans in CTE concentrations surpassed 97% in 2023.

In August, the Career and Technical Education Statewide Advisory Board will convene to enhance the support for CTE programs in New Mexico by uniting established stakeholders, including the Career Technical Leadership Project and the PED’s College and Career Readiness Bureau.

The inaugural meeting on Aug. 9 will involve representatives from business, industry, and education sectors from across the state.