State policy does not specify a number of students per class or teacher-to-student ratio in physical education classes.
The curriculum aligns with state standards, emphasizing motor skills, fitness literacy, and lifelong wellness habits. It includes benchmarks for all grade levels, with specific performance standards to guide instruction (NMAC 6.29.9.8; NMAC 6.29.9.9; NMAC 6.29.9.10).
Students may be excused from physical education for medical reasons with proper documentation. The one unit of physical education may, at the district/charter’s discretion, be met by participation in marching band, JROTC, interscholastic sports, dance programs, or other co-curricular physical activity (NM Stat. §22-13-1.1[K]/[O][5]).
District/charter wellness policies must include guidelines to provide physical activity opportunities before, during, and after school as part of a coordinated school health approach (NMAC 6.12.6.8[D][3]).
No explicit fitness assessment is required by state law; however, K–12 physical education standards require instruction and local assessment of health-related fitness knowledge and skills (NMAC 6.29.9.8 for Grades K–4, 6.29.9.9 for Grades 5–8, and 6.29.9.10 for Grades 9–12).
Schools must provide age-appropriate and safe facilities for physical education, with specific size requirements for indoor and outdoor spaces. Equipment storage, offices, and dressing rooms are also mandated based on school level (NMAC 6.27.30.15).
State policy does not specify the provision of online physical education learning as a formal mode of delivery for K–12 physical education. However, indirect enabling mechanisms exist, as graduation requirements reference distance learning as an allowable pathway for course credit, and local school districts retain discretion in determining how the physical education requirement is met, provided it aligns with state content and performance standards. Physical education activity courses are not eligible for dual credit under state dual-credit rules (NMAC 6.30.7.11[A][1]; 5.55.2.9[A][1]).
Physical education programs must include game modifications to allow persons with special needs to participate and provide opportunities for students to engage in cooperative activities with diverse groups, including those with disabilities in compliance with IDEA (NMAC 6.29.9.9).
State funding is provided for elementary physical education programs that meet academic content standards, with priority given to schools serving high-need populations. Local districts are responsible for program implementation (NM Stat. § 22-13-1.7).
Physical education endorsements require either passing the New Mexico Teacher Assessment in physical education or completing 24–36 semester hours in physical education coursework, with teachers expected to demonstrate entry-level competencies in scientific knowledge, pedagogy, and skill-based performance (NMAC 6.64.14.8–.9). To provide adapted physical education, candidates must also show competency in planning, delivering, and assessing instruction for students with disabilities in inclusive and specialized physical education settings (NMAC 6.64.14.9[E][5]).
School districts are required to establish wellness policies, incorporating physical education and activity as key components. Policies must align with state health and fitness goals (NMAC 6.12.6.8).
Criteria for evaluating physical educators is not specified in regulations.
Recent updates emphasize the prioritization of funding for schools with high-need populations and the inclusion of detailed physical education facility standards (NM Stat. § 22-13-1.7; NMAC 6.27.30.15).
Regulations assign responsibility for physical education policy implementation to Local Education Agencies through curriculum standards, graduation requirements, and program funding–eligibility criteria. The regulations include enforcement provisions such as compliance monitoring for accreditation (NM Stat. 22-13-1; NMAC 6.29.9), and state funding cessation for noncompliance with content and performance standards for elementary physical education programs. They do not include specific penalties for noncompliance.
For more details, call the New Mexico Public Education Department at (505) 827–5800, email ped.helpdesk@ state.nm.us, or go to 300 Don Gaspar Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87501.