New Mexico releases Graduate Profiles Framework to guide local visions for student success 

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) announced today the release of the New Mexico Graduate Profiles Framework, a statewide tool to guide school districts and charter schools in defining the skills and competencies graduates should demonstrate. 

House Bill 171, passed during the 2024 legislative session, requires all school districts and charter schools to develop a graduate profile—a locally defined vision of the cognitive, personal and interpersonal skills students need to thrive after high school. Graduate profiles are intended to reflect the unique needs of individual communities while aligning with New Mexico’s updated graduation requirements. 

“The Graduate Profiles Framework is about more than graduation requirements; it’s about giving every community in New Mexico the opportunity to define what success looks like for its students,” said Public Education Secretary Mariana D. Padilla. “By combining a statewide vision with local values, we can ensure our graduates leave high school prepared for college, career and life.” 

Developed with input from partners across New Mexico, the Graduate Profiles Framework establishes a shared vision while empowering districts and charter schools to highlight their communities’ values and priorities. 

The framework outlines the required elements every graduate profile must include, establishes design and technical specifications to ensure clarity and usability, offers guidance on community engagement to ground profiles in local voices, and provides suggestions for implementation and continuous improvement. 

In spring 2025, Advance CTE was selected to provide state-level support for the creation and publication of graduate profiles. As part of this work, the organization will collect graduate profiles from districts and charter schools and host them on the PED’s Graduate Profiles webpage—to showcase the diverse ways communities are bringing this vision to life.

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The New Mexico Public Education Department partners with educators, communities and families to ensure that all students are healthy, secure in their identity and holistically prepared for college, career and life. Currently, the PED serves about 320,000 students in 189 districts and charter schools. Find an abundance resources for administrators, educators, families and students at New Mexico Public Education Department (state.nm.us) or follow the PED on Facebook and Instagram.