NM Vistas, developed by the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) in 2019, serves as a public reporting data website that showcases school performance aligned to the 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)-- U.S. Department of Education mandate. (ESSA) require state education agencies to implement a system of annual school identification and to disseminate report cards that provide information on State, LEA, and school performance and progress.

The PED’s beliefs that all students are capable of growth and that all schools are capable of improving are the driving force behind NM Vistas. Just as a single test score does not represent everything about a child, NM Vistas does not tell a complete picture about a single school, district, or state charter school. The realities, challenges, and successes that local students, educators and parents face could never be reflected on a single website. NM Vistas serves as only part of the story about a school. PED endeavors to tell part of each school’s story through high-quality data, as published on NM Vistas.

The designation metrics provided on this website for each school is produced by PED’s Assessment, Research, Evaluation and Accountability Division and vetted by districts and charters before going public. The quality of this data is dependent on district and charter school data submissions to the PED and the quality of the data validation conducted by both PED and its schools.

ESSA Accountability Technical Manual

PED’s ESSA-compliant business rules for calculating school designations are available in 2023-24 NMPED Accountability Technical Manual. The 2023-24 ESSA Accountability Model was calculated in the 2024-25 school year.

Masking

New Mexico’s publicly reported information is masked for any group less than 10 students (i.e., a minimum n-size of 10). For groups greater than 10, these rules apply

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does New Mexico rate its schools?

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), requires state education agencies to develop accountability systems that annually differentiate among schools. Those systems are documented in each state’s consolidated state plan (CSP). The New Mexico Public Education Department’s accountability model for rating schools was approved by the U.S. Department of Education on October 18, 2024.

How are schools rated?

Schools are rated on a point system based on the following indicators:

• Math, Reading, and Science Achievement / Assessment Results
• Growth in Math and Reading across time
• Student attendance
• Progress towards English language proficiency for students that are English learners
• Post-secondary readiness*
• Graduation rates*
• Graduation rate growth*

*applies to high school ratings only

What are the school designation categories?

How does PED support schools in need of improvement?

NMPED assists districts and schools in identifying, creating, and improving the essential district conditions required to grow, support, and engage school leaders, teachers, students, and community stakeholders, through site visits and executive and professional learning. The PED identified these essential district conditions through numerous interviews with successful district leaders, school leaders, and educators throughout the state of New Mexico:

1. Equity and Culture
2. Leadership
3. Instructional Infrastructure
4. Talent Management
5. Support and Accountability

Questions About NM Vistas & ESSA Accountability

For questions, please contact ped.accountability@ped.nm.gov

Information on school improvement funds under ESEA section 1003