About NMVistas

What is NMVistas?
New Mexico Vistas is a new school portal providing comprehensive education information to families for informed school choices. It celebrates successful schools and identifies those needing additional support, aligned with the Every Student Succeeds Act. The portal aims to support increased access to equitable educational opportunities and ensure holistic student preparation for college, career, and life.

School Designation

What does this mean?
All public schools in New Mexico receive a designation that describes the student outcomes in the school. The NMVistas index used to identify support for schools will also be used to provide designations of excellence in order to spotlight schools with excellent overall performance and with success on individual indicators. The following school designations are possible for public schools:

  • School of Excellence​
    Schools performing in the top 10% of all schools on the NMVistas school index.​
  • Spotlight School​
    Schools performing in the next 15% of all schools on the NMVistas school index.​
  • Traditional School​
    Schools performing below the top 25% of schools and not designated for additional supports per the following designations.
  • Targeted Support and Improvement School (TSI)​
    Schools serving a student group that falls below the cutoff for CSI schools (described below).
  • Additional Targeted Support and Improvement School (ATSI)​
    TSI schools serving a student group that is performing in the lowest 5% of all schools.
  • Comprehensive Support School (CSI)​
    Title I schools that are:
    • performing in the lowest 5% of Title I schools in New Mexico as identified by the school index score;
    • have an average four-year graduation rate less than or equal to 66.67% percent over the past three years;
    • is a Title I school that was previously identified as an ATSI school due to low performing student subgroups that has not demonstrated sufficient improvement in those subgroups over three years; or
    • the department may identify additional schools as CSI schools as deemed necessary.
  • More Rigorous Intervention School (MRI)​
    Schools not exiting CSI status after three years receiving support.
Overall Score

What does this mean?
This number represents an overall score for the school that includes the NMVistas indicators appropriate for that school. It helps to inform the level of support provided by the PED and identifies areas for celebration.
Each NMVistas indicator is matched to a corresponding State Targets. This means that schools can earn the maximum number of points if they meet or exceed the state target for that student group and that indicator.

How was the overall score calculated?
Schools can earn points by performing well across multiple components. The components reflected in a school’s overall index include English Learner progress, attendance and graduation rates, college and career readiness, as well as traditional metrics for academic proficiency and growth.

Who is included in this calculation?
New Mexican students who have attended at least 10 days in a New Mexico Public school are included. For academic indicators, a student must have been enrolled and attended at least 90 days of school in the second semester in order to be included in the calculation. This means that any student who did not meet these criteria, will remain visible on a separate report that educators can use for follow-up and to support students and families. Graduation rates, growth, and college and career readiness are high-school indicators and include 9th through 12th grade students.
To read more about who is included in points calculations and how NMVistas is calculated please see these NMVistas technical guides.

Individual Measures

Reading Proficiency

What does this mean?
The reading proficiency rate measures the percent of students who are reading at the expected level, or higher, for the student's grade. How was this calculated?
Students in grades kindergarten through 8th grade and 11th grade are assessed in reading. The reading proficiency rate is the number of students who are at grade level or higher in reading divided by the total number of students who took the reading assessment. If less than 95 percent of eligible students in the school were assessed, the overall proficiency rate was reduced by multiplying by an attenuation rate based on actual participation in assessments.


Math Proficiency

What does this mean?
The math proficiency rate measures the percent of students whose ability in math is at the expected level, or higher, for the student's grade.

How was this calculated?
Students in 3rd through 8th and 11th grade are assessed in math. The math proficiency rate is the number of students who are at grade level or higher in math divided by the total number of students who took the math assessment. If less than 95 percent of eligible students in the school were assessed, the overall proficiency rate was reduced by multiplying by an attenuation rate based on actual participation in assessments.

Math Improvement

What does this mean?
This measure shows whether students are learning less than, about the same as, or more than other students who are academically similar to them in math. How was this calculated?
In prior years, academic growth calculations were based on student-level proficiencies going back two years prior and comparing a student's growth to similarly performing students, generating student growth percentiles or SGPs. The school's growth percentile is the median SGP of all students enrolled at the school. Given that no summative tests were administered in school year 2019-2020 and test administration was optional in the 2021-2022 school year, the PED did not calculate SGPs going back two years in 2023. To calculate growth for school year 2022-2023, the PED compared school level proficiency in 2023 to that of 2022. Going forward, the PED will return to calculating academic growth using SGPs and going back two years.


Reading Improvement

What does this mean?
This measure shows whether students are learning less than, about the same as, or more than other students who are academically similar to them in reading. How was this calculated?
In prior years, academic growth calculations were based on student-level proficiencies going back two years prior and comparing a student's growth to similarly performing students, generating student growth percentiles or SGPs. The school's growth percentile is the median SGP of all students enrolled at the school. Given that no summative tests were administered in school year 2019-2020 and test administration was optional in the 2021-2022 school year, the PED did not calculate SGPs going back two years in 2023. To calculate growth for school year 2022-2023, the PED compared school level proficiency in 2023 to that of 2022. Going forward, the PED will return to calculating academic growth using SGPs and going back two years.


English Learning Progress

What does this mean?
English Learner (EL) Progress measures the percent of English learners who are on track toward achieving English proficiency within five years. How was this calculated?
The NM PED set annual goals for EL students. These annual goals were developed based on the expectation that an EL student attains English language proficiency within five years of initial identification. The annual goals take into account the student's grade level and level of English language proficiency at the time the student is identified as an EL student.


Science Proficiency

What does this mean?
The science proficiency rate measures the percent of students whose knowledge in science is at the expected level, or higher, for the student's grade. How was this calculated?
Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 are assessed in science. The science proficiency rate is the number of students who are at grade level or higher in science divided by the total number of students who took the science assessment. If less than 95 percent of eligible students in the school were assessed, the overall proficiency rate was reduced by multiplying by an attenuation rate based on actual participation in assessments.


Regular Attendance

What does this mean?
Regular attendance is the percent of students who attended more than 90% of school days. How was this calculated?
Regular attendance measures the percent of students who are enrolled at the school that attend school on more than 90% of school days.

Science Proficiency

What does this mean?
The science proficiency rate measures the percent of students whose knowledge in science is at the expected level, or higher, for the student's grade. How was this calculated?
Students in grades 5, 8, and 11 are assessed in science. The science proficiency rate is the number of students who are at grade level or higher in science divided by the total number of students who took the science assessment. If less than 95 percent of eligible students in the school were assessed, the overall proficiency rate was reduced by multiplying by an attenuation rate based on actual participation in assessments.


College and Career Readiness

What does this mean?
High schools are awarded credit when students participate and succeed in college and career readiness (CCR) activities. This measures the percent of high school students who have participated in and achieved a passing grade in college and career courses established in the State’s high school model. How was this calculated?
The CCR indicator is calculated with the number of students both participating in and succeeding in CCR activities divided by the number of students in the high school cohort. The CCR calculation utilizes the same cohort that leads to the 4-year graduation indicator.


Growth In Four Year Grad Growth

What does this mean?
The annual increase in the 4-year graduation rate over three years. How was this calculated?
Growth in 4-year graduation is calculated by subtracting the 4-year graduation rate in the school year two years ago from the 4-year graduation rate in the current school year and dividing it by 2 to obtain annual growth.


Four Year Grad Rate

What does this mean?
The 4-year graduation rate measures the percent of students graduating within four years with a high school diploma. The data for graduation rates is one year behind the data for other accountability measures to allow students who complete high school requirements over the summer to be included. How was this calculated?
The NM PED uses the "adjusted cohort" method to calculate graduation rates. Each student is assigned to a graduation cohort when they first enter any of the grades 9-12. Each cohort is named for the year the students in the cohort are anticipated to graduate. If a student attends more than one high school, the NM PED assigns a proportion of the accountability for graduation to each school in which the student is enrolled.


Five Year Grad Rate

What does this mean?
This measures the percent of students graduating within five years with a high school diploma. The data for graduation rates is one year behind the data for other accountability measures. How was this calculated?
The NM PED uses the "adjusted cohort" method to calculate graduation rates. Each student is assigned to a graduation cohort when they first enter any of the grades 9-12. Each cohort is named for the year the students in the cohort are anticipated to graduate. If a student attends more than one high school, the NM PED assigns a proportion of the accountability for graduation to each school in which the student is enrolled.


Six Year Grad Rate

What does this mean?
This measures the percent of students graduating within six years with a high school diploma. The data for graduation rates is one year behind the data for other accountability measures. How was this calculated?
The NM PED uses the "adjusted cohort" method to calculate graduation rates. Each student is assigned to a graduation cohort when they first enter any of the grades 9-12. Each cohort is named for the year the students in the cohort are anticipated to graduate. If a student attends more than one high school, the NM PED assigns a proportion of the accountability for graduation to each school in which the student is enrolled.

What is NMVistas?
New Mexico Vistas is a new school portal providing comprehensive information to families for informed school choices. It celebrates successful schools and identifies those needing additional support, aligned with the Every Student Succeeds Act. The portal aims to increase access to equitable educational opportunities and ensure holistic student preparation for college, career, and life.

Overall Score

What does this mean?
This number represents an overall score for the school. It helps to inform the level of support provided by the PED, and also identifies areas for celebration. The average overall score for Districts is 53. All schools that score within the top 25 percentile will receive a Spotlight Designation.

How was this calculated?
Schools can earn points by performing well across multiple components. Some components reflected in a schools overall performance number include school climate, attendance and graduation rates, as well as traditional metrics around academic proficiency and growth.

School Designations

What does this mean?
Schools receive designations based on a number of factors, including performance scores.

How was this calculated?
Schools can receive designations for earning top scores or be identified as needing support.

  • New Mexico Spotlight School​
    Schools scoring above the 75th percentile​
  • Traditional Support School​
    Schools scoring above the threshold for support and improvement
  • Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI)​
    Public Schools (Title I and non-Title I) with one or more student groups that meet the state's definition of consistently underperforming​
  • Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI)​
    Public Schools (Title I) with one or more student groups performing as poorly as the lowest performing 5 percent of Title I schools identified for CSI
  • Comprehensive Support and Improvement Student Group​
    Title I schools that were previously identified for additional targeted support and improvement and that did not meet the statewide criteria for exiting ATSI status within the number of years determined by the state​
  • Comprehensive Support School and Improvement Graduation Rate​
    All public high schools in the state (Title I) with a four-year graduation rate below 66.67% for at least two out of the past three years​
  • Comprehensive Support School and Improvement Low Performing ​
    Schools scoring in the bottom 5% of all Title I schools
  • More Rigorous Intervention (MRI)​
    If a CSI School does not satisfy exit criteria within the identification cycle, they are identified as MRI.
Individual Measures

Math Proficiency

What does this mean?
The math proficiency rate measures the percent of students whose ability in math is at the expected level, or higher, for the student's grade.

How was this calculated?
Students in grades 3-11 are assessed in math. The math proficiency rate is the number of students who are at grade level or higher in math divided by the total number of students who took the math assessment or 95 percent of enrolled students in the school, whichever is greater.

Reading Proficiency

What does this mean?
The reading proficiency rate measures the percent of students who are reading at the expected level, or higher, for the student's grade. How was this calculated?
Students in grades kindergarten through grade 11 are assessed in reading. The reading proficiency rate is the number of students who are at grade level or higher in reading divided by the total number of students who took the reading assessment or 95 percent of enrolled students in the school, whichever is greater.


Math Improvement

What does this mean?
This measure shows whether students are learning less than, about the same as, or more than other students who are academically similar to them in math. How was this calculated?
Comparing a student's growth to similar performing students generates a student growth percentage or SGP. The school's growth percentile is the median SGP of all students enrolled at the school.


Reading Improvement

What does this mean?
This measure shows whether students are learning less than, about the same as, or more than other students who are academically similar to them in reading. How was this calculated?
Comparing a student's growth to similar performing students generates a student growth percentage or SGP. The school's growth percentile is the median SGP of all students enrolled at the school.


English Learning Progress

What does this mean?
English Learner (EL) Progress measures the percent of English learners who are on track toward achieving English proficiency within five years. How was this calculated?
The NM PED has set annual goals for EL students. These annual goals were developed based on the expectation that an EL student attains English language proficiency within five years of initial identification. The annual goals take into account the student's grade level and level of English language proficiency at the time the student is identified as an EL student.


Science Proficiency

What does this mean?
The science proficiency rate measures the percent of students whose knowledge in science is at the expected level, or higher, for the student's grade. How was this calculated?
Students in grades 4, 7, and 11 are assessed in science. The science proficiency rate is the number of students who are at grade level or higher in science divided by the total number of students who took the science assessment or 95 percent of enrolled students in the school, whichever is greater.


Regular Attendance

What does this mean?
Regular attendance is the percent of students who attended more than 90% of school days. How was this calculated?
Regular attendance measures the percent of students who are enrolled at the school that attend school on more than 90% of school days.

About the VISTAS Score and Process
New Mexico Vistas is a new school portal providing comprehensive information to families for informed school choices. It celebrates successful schools and identifies those needing additional support, aligned with the Every Student Succeeds Act. The portal aims to increase access to equitable educational opportunities and ensure holistic student preparation for college, career, and life.

Learn More

Explore NMVISTAS School Data
We invite you to explore the vast realm of educational information, where facts and figures provide a deeper understanding of students proficiency in subjects and areas of improvement. Whether you're a concerned parent, dedicated educator, or curious learner, this exploration will equip you with knowledge to make informed decisions.

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