N.M. Admin. Code § 6.29.1.11

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 17, September 10, 2024

Section 6.29.1.11 - PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

A. Curriculum.

(1) Local curricula shall be aligned with the applicable New Mexico content standards with benchmarks and performance standards. In accordance with Section 22-13-1.6 NMSA 1978, each school district shall align its curricula to meet the state standards for each grade level and subject area so that students who transfer between public schools within the school district receive the same educational opportunity within the same grade or subject area.

(2) Adopted instructional materials shall support the aligned local curricula. The state standards revision cycle, the local curriculum cycle and the instructional materials cycle shall be aligned and sequenced to provide standards-based curricula that are supported by aligned instructional materials. At the completion of each standards revision cycle, the standards-based state assessment program shall be reviewed to determine the need for realignment.

(3) All courses offered for credit shall have written, delivered, assessed and sequential curriculum.

(4) Written and delivered curricula shall be congruent, state what students should know and be able to do, and include an assessment process.

(5) The curricula shall support the Education Plan and NM School DASH.

B. Subject areas. The district or charter school shall be in compliance with subject area requirements as specified in Section 22-13-1 NMSA 1978.

(1) The department shall require instruction in specific subject areas as provided in Paragraphs (2) through (7) of Subsection B of 6.29.1.11 NMAC. Any public school or school district failing to meet these minimum requirements shall not be accredited by the department.

(2) All kindergarten through third grade classes shall provide daily instruction in reading and language arts skills, including phonemic awareness, phonics, and comprehension; and in mathematics. Students in kindergarten and first grades shall be screened and monitored for progress in reading and language arts skills, and students in second grade shall take diagnostic tests on reading and language arts skills.

(3) All first, second and third grade classes shall provide instruction in art, music and a language other than English, and instruction that meets content standards, benchmarks and performance standards shall be provided in science, social studies, physical education and health education.

(4) In fourth through eighth grades, instruction that meets academic content and performance standards shall be provided in the following subject areas:

(a) reading and language arts skills, with an emphasis on writing and editing for at least one year and an emphasis on grammar and writing for at least one year;

(b) mathematics;

(c) a language other than English;

(d) communication skills;

(e) science;

(f) art;

(g) music;

(h) social studies;

(i) New Mexico history;

(j) United States history;

(k) geography;

(l) physical education; and

(m) health education.

(5) In eighth grade, algebra I shall be offered in regular classroom settings, through online courses or agreements with high schools.

(6) In fourth through eighth grades, school districts and charter schools shall offer electives that contribute to academic growth and skill development and provide career and technical education.

(7) In ninth through 12th grades, instruction that meets academic content and performance standards shall be provided in health education, including:

(a) age-appropriate sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention training that meets department standards developed in consultation with the federal centers for disease control and prevention that are based on evidence-based methods that have proved to be effective;

(b) lifesaving skills training that follows nationally recognized guidelines for hands-on, compression only, psychomotor skills (skills that use hands-on practice to support cognitive learning) cardiopulmonary resuscitation training including:

(i) use of a course curriculum, which allows for demonstration of competency in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and associated skills;

(ii) training that conforms to the most recent, national, evidence-based guidelines established by the American heart association, the American red cross, or another nationally recognized, NM public education department-approved non-profit organization;

(iii) training to recognize the signs of a heart attack;

(iv) training on use of an automated external defibrillator; and

(v) training on how to perform the Heimlich maneuver for choking victims;

(c) lifesaving skills training that may use the following instructors if qualified to teach hands-on psychomotor skills cardiopulmonary resuscitation training:

(i) school nurses;

(ii) health teachers;

(iii) athletic department personnel as instructors; and

(iv) any qualified volunteers, as defined by 6.50.18.8 NMAC, providing training at no cost to the school district that the school district determines to be eligible to offer instruction as prescribed in Subparagraph (b) of Paragraph (7) of Subsection B of 6.29.1.11 NMAC including, but not limited to, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, police officers, firefighters, representatives of the American heart association or the American red cross, or other similarly qualified individuals;

(d) training and instructional materials related to Subparagraph (b) of Paragraph (7) of Subsection B of 6.29.1.11 NMAC in both English and Spanish to include:

(i) materials, equipment, and services that are needed as part of the instruction obtained on loan from state-recognized organizations, such as the New Mexico heart institute; and

(ii) materials, equipment, and services received by schools as in-kind donations; and

(e) combined instruction, whereby school districts and charter schools may work with other school districts and charter schools to provide the training or with a regional education cooperative to provide or facilitate the training.

(8) The requirements as prescribed in Subparagraph (b) of Paragraph (7) of Subsection B of 6.29.1.11 NMAC for health education shall not be required for students in grades nine through 12 who are enrolled in a virtual charter school.

(9) A school district or charter school may submit a waiver request to the department for the requirement as prescribed in Subparagraph (b) of Paragraph (7) of Subsection B of 6.29.1.11 NMAC for health education for a student receiving special education supports and services pursuant to the IDEA or Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act in grades nine through 12 with a disability as documented through an individualized education program (IEP) if the requirement as prescribed in Subparagraph (b) of Paragraph (7) of Subsection B of 6.29.1.11 NMAC cannot be reasonably met with accommodations for a given student.

(10) In every grade, inquiry-based laboratory components are at the core of the science program and shall be woven into every lesson and concept strand. For required science units in grades nine through twelve, "laboratory component" means an experience in the laboratory, classroom or the field that provides students with opportunities to interact directly with natural phenomena or with data collected by others using tools, materials, data collection techniques and models. Throughout the process, students shall have opportunities to design investigations, engage in scientific reasoning, manipulate equipment, record data, analyze results and discuss their findings. The laboratory component comprises at least 40 per cent of the unit's instructional time. All science classes that include dissection activities as part of the curriculum shall provide virtual dissection techniques as alternative activities for any student who is opposed to real dissections for ethical, moral, cultural or religious reasons. Alternative techniques shall approximate the experience of real dissection activities as closely and appropriately as possible. A virtual dissection technique means carrying out dissection activities using computer two-dimensional or three-dimensional simulations, videotape or videodisk simulations, take-apart anatomical models, photographs or anatomical atlases.

C. Bilingual multicultural education. Bilingual multicultural education programs shall be provided to meet the identified educational and linguistic needs of linguistically and culturally different students, including Native American children, and other students who may wish to participate, in grades K-12, with priority to be given to programs in grades K-3. These programs shall:

(1) provide services in accordance with the Bilingual Multicultural Education Act (Sections 22-23-1 through 6 NMSA 1978) and the Bilingual Multicultural Education Program Regulation (Sections 6.32.2.7 through 6.32.2.11 NMAC);

(2) be implemented in accordance with the identified needs of qualifying culturally and linguistically different students and ensure equal educational opportunities;

(3) be assessed as part of the Education Plan process; and

(4) support the local curriculum and Education Plan and NM School DASH.

D. Career and technical education (CTE). Career and technical education programs for both elementary and secondary levels shall:

(1) be in accordance with Section 22-14-1 through 22-14-30 NMSA 1978 and the Carl Perkins Act;

(2) provide exploratory and skill development program offerings;

(3) ensure students' mastery of the New Mexico career and technical education content standards with benchmarks and performance standards;

(4) include competency-based applied learning; and

(5) support the local curriculum and the NM School DASH.

E. School health. School health programs provide opportunities for all students to develop healthy behaviors. Districts and charter schools shall provide or make provisions for school health programs that address the health needs of students and staff. Districts and charter schools shall provide the following programs: health education, physical education, health services and school counseling. Additional programs may include: nutrition, staff wellness, family-school-community partnerships, healthy environment and psychological services. These programs shall:

(1) be in accordance with Section 22-10A-34 and Section 24-5-1 through 24-5-6 NMSA 1978;

(2) provide education and skill development program offerings;

(3) provide community partnerships which help to achieve the goal of healthy students and staff; and

(4) Education Plan, and NM School DASH.

F. Special education. Special education is specially designed instruction that is provided at no cost to parents to meet the unique needs of a student with a disability, as defined in the IDEA regulations ( 34 CFR Part 300 and state special education regulations (6.31.2 NMAC). Special education programs shall:

(1) provide specially designed instruction in career and technical education and travel training for students whose IEPs require such services;

(2) provide instruction to students placed on homebound services as per their IEP; and

(3) provide instruction in state-supported educational programs, hospitals, institutions and other settings. As set forth in the state special education regulations at Paragraph (15) of Subsection C of 6.31.2.7 NMAC, special education may include speech-language pathology services consisting of specially-designed instruction that is provided to enable a student with a disability, as recognized under IDEA, to have access to the general curriculum and to meet the educational standards of the public agency that apply to all children;

(4) be assessed as part of the Education Plan process; and

(5) support the local curriculum, Education Plan, and NM School DASH.

G. Supplemental programs. Programs which supplement, but do not replace, state operational programs may include, but are not limited to: Title I - Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged; Title II - Preparing, Training and Recruiting High Quality Teachers and Principals; Title III - Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students; Title IV, Part A - Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities; Title V - Promoting Informed Parental Choice and Innovative Programs; Title VI - Flexibility and Accountability; Title VII - Indian, Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native Education; Title VIII - Impact Aid Program; the Johnson-O'Malley Act; and Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA). Supplemental programs shall:

(1) provide services as required by federal laws and assurances, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act (EEOA) of 1974;

(2) be assessed as part of the Education Plan process; and

(3) support the local curriculum, Education Plan, and NM School DASH.

H. Support services. Districts and charter schools shall provide support service programs which strengthen the instructional program. Required support service programs are library media, school counseling and health services. Support services shall:

(1) have a written, delivered and assessed program, K-12;

(2) provide licensed staff to develop and supervise the program; and

(3) support the local curriculum, Education Plan, and NM School DASH.

I. Technology in education. The Technology for Education Act establishes a fund and a system for equal distribution of funds based upon final funded student membership within each school district and charter school. The Technology for Education Act requires annual review and approval of each school district and charter school's educational technology plan, through which every school district and charter school reports to the department the fiscal distributions received, expenditures made and educational technology obtained by the district or charter school, and other related information. As districts and charter schools develop, refine and implement strategic long-range plans for utilizing educational technology, each plan shall:

(1) be in accordance with Section 22-15A-10 NMSA 1978; and

(2) support the local curriculum, Education Plan, and NM School DASH.

J. Gifted education. Gifted education is specially designed instruction to meet the individual needs of gifted students pursuant to 6.31.3 NMAC. Gifted education programs shall:

(1) provide gifted students appropriate instruction in required subject areas, in accordance with Article 13 of Chapter 22 NMSA 1978;

(2) be assessed as part of the Education Plan process; and

(3) support the local curriculum, Education Plan, and NM School DASH.

N.M. Admin. Code § 6.29.1.11

6.29.1.11 NMAC - Rp, 6.30.2.11 NMAC, 6-30-2009, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXVIII, Issue 04, February 28, 2017, eff. 2/28/2017, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXI, Issue 23, December 15, 2020, eff. 12/15/2020, Amended by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXIV, Issue 14, July 31, 2023, eff. 7/31/2023