RELATING TO EDUCATION; PROVIDING FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASSIFICATION IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CODE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 22-1-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1967, Chapter 16, Section 3, as amended) is amended to read:

"22-1-3. DEFINITIONS--PUBLIC SCHOOLS--

CLASSIFICATIONS.--As used in the Public School Code:

A. "elementary school" means a public school providing instruction for grades kindergarten through eight, unless there is a junior high school program approved by the state board, in which case it means a public school providing instruction for grades kindergarten through six;

B. "secondary school" means a public school providing instruction for grades nine through twelve, unless there is a junior high school program approved by the state board, in which case it means a public school providing instruction for grades seven through twelve;

C. "junior high school" means a public school providing a junior high school program approved by the state board for grades seven through nine, or for grades seven and eight;

D. "high school" means a public school providing instruction for any of the grades nine through twelve, unless there is a junior high school program approved by the state

board for grades seven through nine, in which case it means a

public school providing instruction for any of the grades ten

through twelve; and

E. "middle school" means a public school providing a middle school program approved by the state board for

grades six through eight."