0001| AN ACT
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0002| RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; AMENDING SECTION 22-2-8.3 NMSA 1978
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0003| (BEING LAWS 1986, CHAPTER 33, SECTION 4, AS AMENDED) TO REQUIRE PUBLIC
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0004| SCHOOLS TO OFFER SIGN LANGUAGE AS AN ELECTIVE.
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0005|
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0006| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
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0007| Section 1. Section 22-2-8.3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1986, Chapter
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0008| 33, Section 4, as amended) is amended to read:
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0009| "22-2-8.3. SUBJECT AREAS--MINIMUM INSTRUCTIONAL AREAS REQUIRED--
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0010| ACCREDITATION.--
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0011| A. The state board shall require instruction in specific
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0012| subject areas as provided in Subsections B through F of this section.
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0013| Any public school or school district failing to meet these minimum
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0014| requirements shall not be accredited by the state board.
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0015| B. All first and second grade classes shall provide daily
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0016| instruction in language arts skills, including phonics, and
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0017| mathematics.
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0018| C. All third grade classes shall provide daily instruction
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0019| in language arts skills and mathematics.
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0020| D. All fourth, fifth and sixth grade classes shall provide
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0021| instruction in language arts skills, with an emphasis on writing and
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0022| editing; mathematics; science; and social studies, including
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0023| geography. The following subject areas shall be offered in the
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0024| remaining instructional time: art; music; physical education; health;
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0025| and computer literacy, including a general familiarization with
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0001| computers and support in the areas of mathematics and writing through
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0002| word processing.
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0003| E. All seventh grade classes shall provide instruction in
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0004| English, with an emphasis on grammar and writing; communication skills
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0005| or science; New Mexico history and geography; mathematics; and
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0006| physical fitness. Remaining instructional time may be used for
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0007| electives listed in Subsection G of this section.
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0008| F. All eighth grade classes shall provide instruction in
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0009| English, mathematics, United States history and science. Remaining
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0010| instructional time may be used for electives listed in Subsection G of
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0011| this section.
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0012| G. The electives authorized in Subsections E and F of this
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0013| section are art, industrial arts, chorus, band, home economics,
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0014| typing, creative writing, speech, drama, Spanish, computer literacy,
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0015| American sign language and other electives approved by the state
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0016| board."
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0017| Section 2. Section 22-2-8.4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1986, Chapter
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0018| 33, Section 5, as amended by Laws 1995, Chapter 174, Section 1 and
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0019| also by Laws 1995, Chapter 180, Section 1) is amended to read:
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0020| "22-2-8.4. GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.--
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0021| A. At the end of the eighth grade or during the ninth
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0022| grade, each student shall prepare an individual program of study for
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0023| grades nine through twelve. The program of study shall be signed by a
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0024| student's parent or guardian.
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0025| B. Beginning with students entering the ninth grade in the
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0001| 1986-87 school year, successful completion of a minimum of
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0002| twenty-three units shall be required for graduation. These units
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0003| shall be as follows:
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0004| (1) four units in English, with major emphasis on
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0005| grammar and literature;
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0006| (2) three units in mathematics;
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0007| (3) two units in science, one of which shall have a
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0008| laboratory component;
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0009| (4) three units in social science, which shall
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0010| include United States history and geography, world history and
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0011| geography, and government and economics;
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0012| (5) one unit in physical fitness;
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0013| (6) one unit in communication skills, with major
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0014| emphasis on writing and speaking, which may include a language other
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0015| than English; and
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0016| (7) nine elective units. Only the following elective
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0017| units shall be counted toward meeting the requirements for graduation:
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0018| fine arts, i.e., music, band, chorus and art; practical arts; physical
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0019| education; languages other than English; speech; drama; vocational
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0020| education; mathematics; science; English; R.O.T.C.; social science;
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0021| computer science; health education; American sign language; and other
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0022| electives approved by the state board.
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0023| With the approval of the local school board, participation on an
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0024| athletic team or in an athletic sport during the school day may count
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0025| toward fulfillment of the physical education required unit.
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0001| C. Final examinations shall be administered to all students
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0002| in all classes offered for credit.
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0003| D. Beginning with students entering the ninth grade in the
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0004| 1986-87 school year, no student shall receive a high school diploma
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0005| who has not passed a state competency examination in the subject areas
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0006| of reading, English, math, science and social science. Beginning with
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0007| the 1996-97 school year, the state competency examinations on social
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0008| science shall include a section on the constitution of the United
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0009| States and the constitution of New Mexico. If a student exits from
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0010| the school system at the end of grade twelve without having passed a
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0011| state competency examination, he shall receive an appropriate state
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0012| certificate indicating the number of credits earned and the grade
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0013| completed. If within five years after a student exits from the school
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0014| system he takes and passes the state competency examination, he may
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0015| receive a high school diploma.
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0016| E. The state board may establish a policy to provide
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0017| for administrative interpretations to clarify curricular and
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0018| testing provisions of the Public School Code."
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0019|
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