Counting students who take five years to graduate from high school rather than four increases the graduation rate. No surprise there.

But state Rep. Rick Miera, D-Albuquerque, thought it only fair to include students who might have lacked enough credits to graduate with their class but made up the work within the following year. In 2009, he sponsored a bill allowing districts to count five-year graduates toward their graduation rates.

The result is that New Mexico's graduation rate for 2008 increased to 66.2 percent from 60.3 percent, the Public Education Department announced Monday.

Including those who take five years to earn a diploma also raised the Santa Fe Public Schools' graduation rate to 56.9 percent from 53 percent.

The Academy for Technology and the Classics increased its graduation rate to 57 percent from 53.3 percent; Capital High School to 54.7 percent from 50.9 percent; the Career Academy to 65.5 percent from 61.5 percent; Monte del Sol Charter School to 80.1 percent from 76.4 percent; and Santa Fe High to 63.4 percent from 59.9 percent.

The numbers are a little short of what was predicted in the 2009 analysis of Miera's bill. At that time, the Public Education Department estimated that 10 percent of the state's freshmen in 2004 were still enrolled beyond their senior year to complete credits or pass exit examinations. Therefore, the graduation rate could climb 10 percent if they earned their diplomas during a fifth year.

New Mexico is one of 11 states now compiling five-year graduation rates and the federal Department of Education is encouraging all to do it. "It's a trend," said New Mexico Education Secretary Veronica Garcia.

In the past, the feds left the definition of graduation rates up to each state. But in 2008, the U.S. Department of Education published final regulations requiring all states to use the "four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate." New Mexico is one of 21 states following students from the ninth to the 12th grades, using unique student identification numbers first assigned to all enrolled public-school students in 2004.

Previously, many school districts merely counted the students who entered the 12th grade and then graduated. But that method ignores students who drop out before their senior year. The four-year figures are considered a more accurate reflection of student retention.

New Mexico released its first four-year graduation rates last year and the 2009 rates will be available in May, according to Public Education Department spokeswoman Beverly Friedman. This will be the first chance for the districts to compare rates to see if efforts to keep kids in school are paying off.

The federal regulations allow states the option of proposing one or more extended-year adjusted graduation rates. The state must, however, describe how it will use this rate, along with the four-year rate, to determine whether its schools and districts make adequate yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind Act.

Over five years, 81 of the New Mexico's 89 districts showed increases in their graduation rates. Mesa Vista Consolidated Schools in Northern New Mexico improved its graduation rate from 29.4 percent (second lowest in the state) to 72.2 percent. The full report is available at www.ped.state.nm.us/Graduation/.

Garcia said in a news release that the five-year rate indicates schools need to provide additional support to ensure more students graduate on time. But even if it takes five years, she said, "our students should stick with school."

Contact Anne Constable at 986-3022 or aconstable@sfnewmexican.com.