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