Greetings-
Thanks to many of you for warmly welcoming me into your schools. I had an amazing week visiting classrooms and communities. I also had an opportunity to speak at the elementary and secondary principals’ conference in Cody.
Next week a team from WDE goes to Washington, DC to receive initial ESSA guidance. We have only had a couple of phone calls and conversations with the USDOE since passage of ESSA and we are anxious to get the work underway. At the principals’ conference, I likened Wyoming’s position with ESSA implementation as a kindergartner who comes to school knowing how to read. We have developed a state accountability system (many states have not). Also, recommendations from the assessment task force will fold into ESSA implementation nicely. We have a great deal of support at the national level and will rely on you and other partners to ensure we get this implemented so kids are always the winners. As always, I will be at the table advocating for Wyoming.
The 2016 Session kicks off a week from Monday. I will address legislators during their caucus time just prior to the official convening and will focus mainly on the budget (restoring cuts proposed by the Joint Appropriations Committee) and the bills we have all worked on during the interim (Hathaway, assessment, safety, security, data privacy, accountability, and more). I do not envy the task of the legislature this year. We all understand this time of austerity as well as our shared desire to continue investing in education. I look forward to seeing many of you in Cheyenne and remind you our doors at WDE are always open.
Classrooms across the State of Wyoming are invited to watch the 63rd Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Session live on Monday, February 8 at 10 a.m. Governor Matt Mead will deliver his State of the State message, followed by the State of the Judiciary message, delivered by Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice E. James Burke, as all three branches of Wyoming State Government come together to kick off the 2016 Budget Session.
How to watch:
Live Television Broadcast: Wyoming PBS
Live Video Stream: http://governor.wyo.gov/
Live Audio Stream: Click the “House Proceedings” link on Legislature’s Website at: http://legisweb.state.wy.us/lsoweb/session/Audio.aspx
Memos to be released Feb 1:
- Memo 2016-011: WAPSD Public Meeting
- Memo 2016-012: Alternative Schedule Timelines
- 2016-012-attachmenta: Alternative Schedules Checklist
- 2016-012-attachmentb: End-of-Year Report
- Memo 2016-013: 2015-16 Revised Allocations
- 2016-013-attachment: USDOE Notification
Jillian