Bernalillo Public Schools (BPS) has outperformed state averages in graduation rates for the first time.
That’s according to a news release from the school district citing the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED). The achievement marks a milestone in the district’s ongoing efforts to raise educational standards and student outcomes.
According to the NMPED, improvement has been noticeable among economically disadvantaged students, English learners and students with disabilities.
“This is a first for our district in which we outperform the state average in any given category, but we are steadfast in our belief that our students have the ability to compete and surpass their peers when provided with intentional instruction and support that maximize their rich assets and talents,” Matt Montaño, BPS superintendent, said in a press release.
According to the release, BPS established a high-expectation educational system three years ago, focusing on student outcomes to improve the achievements and academic performance.
The reforms have helped the district to surpass pre-COVID-19 student outcomes. In the 2022/2023 school year, BPS exceeded pre-pandemic proficiency levels in reading and math.
The education department’s press release highlighted three districts that have higher rates than the state average: BPS, Gadsden Public Schools in Santa Teresa and the Bloomfield School District. All three districts participate in college and career readiness programs that include NextGen and Perkins CTE, Pathway2Careers and Advanced Placement.
New Mexico’s overall graduation rate for the 2022/2023 academic year was 76.7%, while Bernalillo Public Schools’ (BPS) stood at 80%. The highest graduation rate in the state was 87.8% in Gadsden.
In BPS, the graduation rate for economically disadvantaged students was 79.7%, while English learners had a rate of 78.7%. Students with disabilities had a graduation rate of 75.5%, and Native American students graduated at a rate of 77.6%.
“We should be proud of how far we have come in a short period of time,” Montaño said. “We still have a long way to go. Our BPS team is still refining our skills and tools to make these improvements in outcomes, but we can see the early results are yielding positive results.”