The State Department of Education is releasing the domain specifications of the New Mexico High School Competency Examination (NMHSCE) for educator use because the Spring 1996 administration of the test will be in a different form. The NMHSCE is a high school graduation requirement in New Mexico. It assesses students' competence in writing, reading, mathematics, science, and social studies. The specific content of the examination, with examples of item types, is described in the domain specifications. Within each domain section, an overview of the competency framework for that domain is provided, and each competency statement is listed, with the following information: (1) eligible test content; (2) a sample multiple-choice item; (3) a sample constructed response item and rubric; and (4) a sample open-ended item and rubric, if appropriate. At the end of each section, the general specifications for test items are given. The domain specifications are a bridge between the state Competency Frameworks and the NMHSCE, but they are not intended to define a curriculum. Eight appendixes provide detailed content-specific information. (SLD)