Revisions to ESSA State Plan Open for Public Comment

Wyoming Department of Education > News Releases > Revisions to ESSA State Plan Open for Public Comment

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) seeks public comment on proposed changes to its Consolidated State Plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Public comment is being accepted for 30 days, and at a series of public meetings.

Wyoming’s ESSA State Plan was approved by the U.S. Department of Education on January 16, 2018 on the condition that the plan be amended to include data regarding new criteria for teacher effectiveness by January 15, 2019. Additionally, a new statewide assessment, WY-TOPP, was implemented in the 2017-18 school year, making it necessary to resubmit long-term goals for achievement with the new assessment data. All proposed changes can be reviewed here.

“The resubmission of our ESSA State Plan gives us a chance to make sure we are using the best possible information to evaluate our schools,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow. “Thankfully, ESSA give us the flexibility to set our own goals as a state and to make sure they are both ambitious and attainable.”

The public meeting schedule:

  • 4:30 p.m. on November 13, Room 116 of the Intertribal Education and Community Center at Central Wyoming College in Riverton.
  • 6:30 p.m. on November 19, online, register here.
  • 6:30 p.m. on November 29, Laramie County School District #1 boardroom in Cheyenne.

Public comment can be submitted through December 7, 2018. Comments can be submitted online or by mail to:

Wyoming Department of Education
Attn: Kari Eakins
122 W. 25th St, Suite E200
Cheyenne, WY 82002

ESSA reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the principal federal law affecting K-12 education, and replaced No Child Left Behind. More information is available on the WDE’s website.

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Media Contact:
Kari Eakins, Communications Director
kari.eakins@wyo.gov
307-777-2053