Alamogordo NM
4-28-2025 11:26pm

Cloudcroft and Tularosa High Schools Show Improved Graduation Rates for 2024, Alamogordo High School Slight Improvement

The New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) announced that 78.04% of students in Cohort 2024—those who began ninth grade in the 2020–2021 school year—graduated within the standard four-year period. This translates to 20,375 students earning diplomas and reflects a 1.34 percentage point increase over the previous year.

For 2024 Cloudcroft High School ranked in the top 10 in graduation rates and is the only public high school non-charter and non-magnet to rank in the top 10. Cloudcroft's graduation rate is 97%. Among schools with a smaller graduating class, Tularosa High of Tularosa Municipal Schools attained a graduation growth rate of 20% and a four-year graduation rate of 91.8%. Dulce High of Dulce Independent Schools attained a graduation growth rate of 20.6% and a four-year graduation rate of 93.3%.

The Alamogordo High School graduation rate for the 2024 cohort (students who began ninth grade in 2020-2021)increased by very slight 0.52%, reaching 88.8%.

The graduation rate of Cohort 2024 is noteworthy because it is both the highest graduation rate and the highest total number of graduating students in the last 15 years. Additionally, one of the largest improvements was among English learners (ELs), with 74.9% graduating in 2023 and 77.5% in 2024, an increase of 2.6%.

“Graduation is a crucial milestone in every student’s life, and we are proud to see continued progress across the state,” said Public Education Secretary Mariana D. Padilla. “This increase reflects the hard work of our educators, students and families, and it underscores our shared commitment to student success. At the same time, we recognize that too many students are still not making it to the finish line—and we must continue working together to ensure every student has the support they need to graduate.”

Improving graduation rates is a key goal in the Public Education Department’s Strategic Plan. While this year’s growth is a promising sign, additional progress is needed for New Mexico to reach the national average graduation rate of approximately 87%. To meet this benchmark by Cohort 2027, approximately 2,400 more students would need to graduate on time.

Several schools and districts stood out for their strong graduation outcomes and notable year-over-year improvement. 

Gadsden Independent School District was cited among the top districts in the state of New Mexico for graduation rates in a report by the state Public Education Department.

Alta Vista High School earned a perfect 100 percent graduation rate for the 2024 cohort — students who entered high school during the 2020-21 school year

La Cueva High and Volcano Vista High in Albuquerque maintained high graduation rates and saw significant gains from the Class of 2023. Several large Albuquerque area high schools demonstrated measurable improvements in graduation outcomes, including Highland, Valley, Sandia, Eldorado, Rio Grande and Albuquerque High.

Gadsden High and Santa Teresa High in the Gadsden Independent School District saw persistently high graduation rates across multiple years, both roughly 89% in 2024. Gadsden Independent School District has taken major steps to improve data collection, focusing on student mobility, attendance and course grades, while taking advantage of the Multi Layered System of Supports, a framework designed to provide a coordinated approach to supporting students' academic, behavioral and social-emotional needs. Gadsden and Santa Teresa are also career technical education (CTE) program participants.

Schools that achieved high graduation rates or made significant gains for Cohort 2024 shared several common strategies:

  • Close monitoring of students' course completion and credit accumulation
  • Implementation of early warning systems to identify and support at-risk students
  • Strategic planning through school improvement plans, which helped schools align resources and interventions to student needs
  • Participation in Perkins and Nextgen CTE programs
  • Ensuring that students set personal goals through their Next Step Plan prior to entering high school

These successes reflect the power of data-informed decision-making, strong student supports and a culture of high expectations.

The PED urges high schools to focus on strategies that help students stay on track to graduate, which includes keeping students engaged, recognizing early when they need support, and providing timely and effective interventions.

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