Accreditation is a form of quality control for schools, in which they voluntarily submit themselves to evaluation by an outside body to verify that they meet recognized standards. In New Mexico, accreditation has been mandatory since 1996 for any institution granting associate, undergraduate or graduate degrees. Vocational schools offering only certificate and diploma programs are exempt from this requirement, and need only a state license to operate. Some schools and programs earn accreditation anyway in order to have a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
New Mexico's community college system offers a wide range of vocational and technical training programs to all areas of the state. Examples include the Luna Community College in Las Vegas NM, the Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque, Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari and Santa Fe Community College in Santa Fe. These schools maintain various diploma and certificate programs, and grant associate degrees in a variety of disciplines. Credits are tranferrable to higher degrees at other institutions.
Three technical schools serve the needs of the region's Native American population. The Navajo Technical College in Crownpoint offers a bachelor's degree in applied science as well as several associate degrees and certificate programs. The Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute grants associate degrees and certificates in a number of disciplines, with engineering a primary focus. The Diné College, established in 1968 as Navajo Community College, was the first tribally-operated community college in the United States. It has been accredited since 1976, and granted its first bachelor's degrees in 1998.
Private trade and technical schools are widespread throughout the state, with more than 40 licensed schools listed at the state's education website. Of these only 11 are accredited, which has a bearing on financial aid and the transfer of credits. Accredited schools include Apollo College, Pima Medical Institute, National Center for Montessori Education and the Roswell campus of ITT Technical Institute.
On March 8, 2010, New Mexico's state legislature passed the Hispanic Education Act, the first such bill anywhere in America. The Act requires the formation of a Hispanic Education Advisory Council to advise the Secretary of Education on issues unique to the state's substantial Hispanic population. The HEAC is expected to draw its membership from community organizations, business, schools and colleges, parents and Hispanic cultural organizations.