College & career readiness in New Mexico
New Mexico students build a Next Step Plan each year from grade 8 on — an annually updated, signed plan mapping the courses needed to reach the student's postsecondary goal, now paired with graduate profiles and the Opportunity Scholarship.
Next Step Plan
Work-based learning & financial aid in New Mexico
Work-based learning
New Mexico's work-based learning bank and CTE pathways (NextGen CTE) are expanding fast, with WBL coordinators funded in many districts.
FAFSA & financial aid
No FAFSA graduation mandate; the Opportunity Scholarship (free in-state tuition) makes aid conversations urgent anyway.
Atlara ↔ Next Step Plan
Plans that track themselves
Readiness Plans auto-complete requirements from real activity — course plans, assessments, applications, FAFSA — so compliance reporting is a byproduct, not a project.
Career + college exploration built in
Interest inventories, a 900+ career library with real O*NET and BLS wage/outlook data, 3,200+ colleges with U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data, and majors exploration cover the exploration expectations most state frameworks start with.
Work-based learning tracking
Employer partners, placements, hour logs, and competencies — with student portfolios and resumes that assemble themselves.
Counselor + family visibility
Caseload dashboards with early-warning flags, printable conference one-pagers, and a family portal with its own logins and approvals.
Policy details above are a planning summary, not legal guidance — confirm current requirements with the New Mexico Public Education Department.