CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education seeks public comment on changes to several rules and regulations including accreditation, statewide standards, graduation requirements, the Hathaway Scholarship Program, and a school nutrition project.
Public comment on all of the proposed rules is open through June 29, 2018. All public comments will be recorded, filed, and posted on the Secretary of State website as part of the rule promulgation process.
Chapter 6: District and School Accreditation
The proposed revisions to the Chapter 6 rules are based on recommendations from an Accreditation Task Force comprised of school district personnel. The adjustments are necessary due to changes in federal and state law, and now include a description of the process by which Wyoming school districts are annually accredited by the Wyoming State Board of Education. The proposed rules are meant to ensure that Wyoming school districts meet statutory requirements intended to improve student learning, and ensure equity of opportunity to learn. More information is available in the Statement of Reasons.
Public comment on these rules can be submitted online or may be mailed to:
Wyoming Department of Education
Attn: Bill Pannell
122 W. 25th St. Suite E200
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Chapter 10: Wyoming Content and Performance Standards
The proposed Chapter 10 Rules include revisions to the Mathematics and Social Studies content areas, as well as the Science Extended Standards for students with significant cognitive disabilities. If fully approved, school districts would then have three full school years to align their curriculum to these standards. More information is available in the Statement of Reasons.
The Math Standards Review Committee recommended a revision of the current standards that include more grade-specific Mathematical Practices, integrates modeling within all grade levels, adds examples to standards and benchmarks, includes cross-disciplinary connections to other content areas, and identifies connections to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards, Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) standards, computational thinking skills, and financial literacy skills. Public comment on the proposed Math Standards can be made online.
The Social Studies Standards Review Committee recommended additions to the current standards that address the cultural heritage, history, and contemporary contributions of American Indians. Additions include defining Indigenous Tribes of Wyoming, enhancing the standards regarding government, culture, history, and geography with Performance Level Descriptors as needed, examples, and identifying cross-curricular connections to other content areas. Public Comment on the proposed additions to the Social Studies Standards can be made online.
The Science Extended Standards Review Committee designed standards aligned to the 2016 Science Standards for the 1 percent of the most significant cognitively disabled students. The recommended standards were built to four performance levels with embedded examples. Public comment on the proposed Science Extended Standards can be made online.
In addition to the online surveys for each content area, public comment on these rules can be mailed to:
Wyoming Department of Education
Attn: Barb Marquer
122 W. 25th St. Suite E200
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Chapter 31: Wyoming Graduation Requirements
The proposed Chapter 31 Rules include several revisions required by a change in state law. These revisions incorporate the elimination of the tiered diploma system, identification of the required components of each district’s assessment system, and the establishment of a consultation process between the SBE and local school districts. Additionally, changes to the rules would give districts more flexibility to help students meet the graduation requirements. More information is available in the Statement of Reasons.
Public comment on these rules can be submitted online or may be mailed to:
Wyoming Department of Education
Attn: Julie Magee
122 W. 25th St. Suite E200
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Chapter 38: Hathaway Scholarship Program
The proposed Chapter 38 Rules reflect two changes in state law. One requires the WDE to create a grade-weighting policy for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and college-level courses taken in high school. The other extends the scholarship application deadline from two years to four years after high school. More information is available in the Statement of Reasons.
Public comment on these rules can be submitted online or may be mailed to:
Wyoming Department of Education
Attn: Bradley Barker III
122 W. 25th St. Suite E200
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Chapter 43: School Nutrition Project
The proposed Chapter 43 rules extend the School Nutrition Pilot Program for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school years. More information is available in the Statement of Reasons.
Public comment on these rules can be submitted online or may be mailed to:
Wyoming Department of Education
Attn: Susan Benning
122 W. 25th St. Suite E200
Cheyenne, WY 82002
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Media Contact:
Kari Eakins, Communications Director
kari.eakins@wyo.gov
307-777-2053