Social Studies Content Standard 3, Civics and Government: "Students understand the ideals, rights and responsibilities of citizenship and understand the content and history of the founding documents of the United States with particular emphasis on the United States and New Mexico Constitutions and how governments function at local, state, tribal and national levels." The content standard has grade-span benchmarks (K-4, 5-8 and 9-12) and performance standards for each grade K-8, and for grades 9-12.

The standards are based on 5 "Guiding Principles" having to do with building skills over time; the importance of content from the humanities and social sciences; respect for individual differences, human and civil rights, and students' shared heritage; and the importance of formative and summative assessments. Guiding Principle 4 is "Social studies provides a setting and a frame of reference from which current events and public policy issues directly impact student interest and commitment to the study of social studies content." Standards focus on explaining, analyzing and evaluating, but do not support active citizenship outside the classroom. Guiding Principle 1, however, does state that "social studies can enhance job opportunities, encourage civic participation, and enrich private life after students complete high school."

"The Social Studies Content Standards, Benchmarks and Performance Standards is a spiraling framework in the sense that many skills, once introduced, develop over time. While the Performance Standards are set forth at specific grade levels, they do not exist as isolated skills; each exists in relation to others and these Social Studies Standards are for all students." New Mexico Social Studies Content Standards and Benchmarks