Los Lunas Schools board approves new graduation requirements for Class of 2029
Class of 2029 students in Los Lunas will graduate under new 24-unit rules, after a 4-1 board vote aligned with state law.
Los Lunas Schools approved new graduation requirements for the Class of 2029 in a 4-1 vote, locking in the course track that incoming freshmen will need to follow to earn a diploma. The change will shape schedules, counseling and career planning at Los Lunas High School, Valencia High School and Century High School for students who are still years away from commencement.
The district’s action aligns with House Bill 171, the statewide overhaul Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed on Feb. 9, 2024. The law applies to students entering ninth grade in the 2025-26 school year and requires at least 24 units aligned to state standards. It also removes graduation demonstrations of competency and updates next-step planning requirements, changes meant to tie graduation more closely to college, workforce and technical training paths.
The Los Lunas board took the vote after what district leaders described as significant planning and a delay at the local level. Board President Sonya C’Moya, Vice President P. David Vickers and Secretary Tina Garcia lead the Los Lunas Schools Board of Education, which also includes Ragon Espinoza, Bruce Bennett and Michelle Osowski. The 4-1 split shows the policy was not a routine housekeeping item but a decision with direct consequences for how students are advised long before senior year.
For Valencia County families, the practical effect is immediate even though the Class of 2029 is still several years from graduation. A new graduation framework affects which electives, career and technical education courses, dual-credit options and college-ready benchmarks students are steered toward starting in ninth grade. It also comes as the district continues to manage major policy decisions elsewhere, including a 2026-27 budget of $144,572,592.
Los Lunas has already mapped out other graduation milestones far ahead. The district announced the Class of 2026 ceremony for Monday, May 18, 2026, and the Class of 2027 ceremonies for Saturday, May 22, 2027, underscoring how far in advance the district now has to plan each cohort’s path to a diploma.
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