Category Archives: News Releases

News releases from the Wyoming Department of Education

Superintendent Encourages Public Engagement in ESSA Implementation

June 7, 2016News ReleasesEvery Student Succeeds ActKari Eakins

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) announced today ways for the public to give input on the development of the state plan for implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

“It’s critical to look at strengths and gaps in Wyoming education as we align ESSA requirements with current state practices,” said State Superintendent Jillian Balow. “Our goal is to strengthen and leverage our accountability system as we implement ESSA, and we will need meaningful input from all stakeholders to get that accomplished.”

Public comment on the ESSA implementation in Wyoming will be accepted through an online form through September 1, 2016. Additionally, a series of virtual town hall meetings will be held in July and August to provide information and gather input on five topics related to ESSA implementation.

The town hall meetings will take place at 4 p.m. on the following days:

Thursday, July 7: Standards & Assessment
Thursday, July 14: Teacher & Leader Quality
Thursday, August 4: School Improvement
Thursday, August 11: Accountability
Tuesday, August 16: Federal Funds

To join via teleconference, go to www.uberconference.com/wdeuberconference, dial 888-670-9530 or 307-438-9905, and enter the pin 38533 when prompted.

The Every Student Succeeds Act was signed into law on December 10, 2015. It reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and replaces No Child Left Behind. More information is available at edu.wyoming.gov/essa.

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Wyoming Accountability FAQ

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

Superintendent Balow Attends Army Educator Tour

June 1, 2016News ReleasesMilitaryKari Eakins

Superintendent Balow before a tandem parachute jump with the U.S. Army Golden Knights.

CHEYENNE – State Superintendent Jillian Balow recently traveled to Fort Hood, Texas for the 2016 Army Educator Tour.

“This experience has reaffirmed my belief that military service is an incredible opportunity to be part of something bigger than ourselves in addition to gaining career skills and college credits,” said Superintendent Balow. “It was fascinating to learn just how high tech our Army is and how well-prepared soldiers are for college and careers after their service.”

The purpose of the tour was to show education leaders a sampling of the numerous opportunities available to those young men and women who choose to serve our Army and our nation. During the tour Superintendent Balow was able to observe and talk with soldiers, hear from Army leaders, tour Fort Hood’s museum, and complete a tandem parachute jump with the U.S. Army Golden Knights.

Superintendent Balow was nominated to be a guest at Fort Hood by Army recruiters in Casper, Wyo. The Army paid all costs for the tour.

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

Superintendent Issues Statement on Federal Guidance Regarding Transgender Students

May 13, 2016News ReleasesKari Eakins

CHEYENNE – State Superintendent Jillian Balow released the following statement today regarding guidance from the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice on the civil rights of transgender students:

“Guidance on ensuring the civil rights of transgender students was released by the USDOE and USDOJ today which underscores the challenges of adapting to social change in schools. I don’t believe it is appropriate for federal bureaucrats to tell our education professionals how to handle these sensitive situations.

“Educators are entrusted with the safety of all children, physical and emotional, in the school setting. Many Wyoming schools have already adapted to the transgender community by providing accommodations, such as a separate bathroom, for transgender students. I expect that Wyoming education leaders will continue to carefully make decisions in the interest of all students and consider policy decisions with input from the local school board, students, and the public.

“While I appreciate the attention paid to transgender students in the federal guidance, it’s critical that we recognize, and reasonably accommodate, the uniqueness of all students.”

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Audio from Superintendent Balow

Press Release from USDOE

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

Wyoming Discontinues Affiliation with Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium

May 2, 2016News ReleasesAssessmentKari Eakins

CHEYENNE – Wyoming has discontinued its Affiliate member status with the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) in order to enter the procurement process without perception of conflict.

“Wyoming’s affiliation with SBAC raises red flags for me as we consider a new statewide assessment,” said State Superintendent Jillian Balow. “Any real or perceived conflict, such as with SBAC, detracts from securing the most appropriate assessment for Wyoming students.”

Contracts with Wyoming’s current vendors for statewide assessments in grades 3-10 expire January 1, 2018. A Request for Proposals will be issued in the fall of 2016 for a vendor for statewide assessments in grades 3-10, in accordance with Enrolled Act No. 55.

Superintendent Balow added: “The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides Wyoming with a unique opportunity. We expect a statewide assessment that is configurable, comparable, and affordable. Classroom and district assessments give us the best information about how students are succeeding from day to day, while a statewide or summative assessment is a broader look at how students are doing from year to year and how our state is doing compared to others.”

Wyoming joined SBAC as an Advisory State in 2010, was granted Governing State status in August 2013, and reverted to Affiliate member status in October 2014. Several Wyoming school districts also participated in SBAC field testing during the spring 2014 assessment window.

Letter to SBAC

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

Superintendent Balow Honored by National AfterSchool Association

April 21, 2016News ReleasesKari Eakins

Superintendent Balow, middle, with Craig Williams and Linda Barton at NAA Convening.

CHEYENNE – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow has been named one of the 2016 Most Influential in State & Local Government honorees by the National AfterSchool Association (NAA). The prestigious award recognizes state and local officials who are strong advocates for afterschool and out-of-school time programs.

“Afterschool and summer programs enhance learning and help fill gaps for students who are behind,” said Superintendent Balow. “The Wyoming AfterSchool Alliance (WYAA) has focused on key areas such as STEM and summer learning loss. We are fortunate to have WYAA advocating for Wyoming kids. I’m honored to be recognized.”

Superintendent Balow was nominated by the WYAA, a non-profit organization affiliated with NAA. Their nomination noted that Superintendent Balow has attended WYAA conferences as a speaker to discuss the value of afterschool and summer learning, has supported financial funding for afterschool, understands the connection and advocates for alignment between the school day and afterschool, and makes an effort for inclusion.

Superintendent Balow was honored at an NAA convening earlier this week, and also participated on a panel to update AfterSchool partners on implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act at the state level.

View NAA’s Most Influential in State and Local Government

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

Class of 2015 Posts 79.4% Four-Year Graduation Rate

March 28, 2016News ReleasesEvery Student Succeeds Act, Graduation RatesKari Eakins

CHEYENNE – High school graduation rates in Wyoming increased slightly for the 2014-15 school year, according to information released by the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) today. Full graduation rate statistics are available at edu.wyoming.gov/data/graduation-rates/.

“We applaud the efforts of our high schools to graduate more students last year, however we are not where we want to be,” said State Superintendent Jillian Balow. “Graduation is the gateway to next steps: college, career, and military. Every student should be graduating from high school. We will intensify our support to struggling schools and focus on diversifying education experiences for students.”

The Every Student Succeeds Act requires close monitoring of graduation rates and intentional work to ensure individual student growth. 2015 Grad Rates Graph

Wyoming’s “on-time” graduation rate of 79.41 percent in 2014-15 is up from the 2013-14 rate of 78.6 percent, and the 2012-13 rate of 77.5 percent. Seven schools achieved a 100 percent four-year graduation rate:

Burlington High School, Big Horn #1
Cokeville High School, Lincoln #2
Meeteetse School, Park #16
Chugwater High School, Platte #1
Guernsey-Sunrise High School, Platte #2
Skyline Academy, Sublette #1
Ten Sleep K-12, Washakie #2

Thirteen Wyoming school districts posted rates of 90 percent or above:

Platte #2: 100%
Washakie #2: 100%
Park #16: 100%
Teton #1: 95.93%
Weston #7: 95.65
Big Horn #3: 93.75
Crook #1: 93.33
Sublette #9: 92.59
Big Horn #2: 92.45
Sheridan #1: 91.18
Lincoln #2: 90.95
Fremont #24: 90.91
Sublette #1: 90.54

Since the 2009-10 school year, the WDE has calculated graduation rates using the Federal Four-Year Adjusted Cohort methodology established by the U.S. Department of Education, complying with federal law that requires all states to calculate graduation rates the same way. Students are counted in the four-year (“on-time”) high school graduation rate if they earn a diploma by September 15 following their cohort’s fourth year. Five- and six-year graduation rates are also calculated, and can be viewed with the rest of the graduation rate data.

Graduation Rate Slideshow

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

Public Input Being Taken on Proposed Standards Revisions

March 22, 2016News ReleasesExtended Standards, Science Standards, Standards Review, State Board of EducationKari Eakins

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming State Board of Education has requested public input on the proposed 2016 Wyoming Science Content and Performance Standards, as well as recommended changes to the K-1 English Language Arts (ELA) Extended Standards. The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) will collect the public input through online surveys and regional meetings. The State Board will then review the input before making any decisions on whether or not to adopt the standards.

“We want our standards to be Wyoming stamped, sealed, and approved,” said State Superintendent Jillian Balow. “In order to do that, we’re making sure the public has the opportunity to weigh in along every step of the standards review process. My hope is that the public will thoroughly vet these proposed revisions, and give us their feedback, so that we can know without a doubt that we have the best standards for our students.”

Proposed 2016 Wyoming Science Standards

Input can be given through online surveys, which are available now through May 10, 2016. The surveys can be found here:

Proposed Wyoming Science Standards Survey

In addition, input can be given at regional meetings, which will take place across the state. At each meeting, WDE staff will give a presentation on the proposed standards revisions, be available to answer questions, and collect public input.

standards-meetings All regional meetings will take place from 6-8 pm.

Comments collected through the regional meetings and online surveys will be shared with the State Board at their meeting on May 26.

More information on the proposed 2016 Wyoming Science Standards is available here. More information on the recommended changes to K-1 ELA Extended Standards is available here.

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

Wyoming to Submit Waiver on Speaking and Listening Assessments

March 18, 2016News ReleasesAssessmentKari Eakins

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) will submit a waiver application request to the U.S. Department of Education (USED) from the requirement to assess students’ speaking and listening skills for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years. Public comment on this waiver request is being taken until April 19, 2016.

In September 2015, the USED released new guidance, which requires states to demonstrate that their assessments are aligned with the full extent of their adopted content standards, under section 1111(b)(3)(C)(ii) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended. The Wyoming Content and Performance Standards in English Language Arts address reading, writing, and language, as well as speaking, and listening. Wyoming’s state assessment system will undergo a peer review this spring to determine how well the statewide assessments address these areas.

The USED has noted that measurement of speaking and listening skills in a statewide assessment may not currently be feasible, and on March 2, 2016 the WDE received additional information on necessary steps for obtaining a waiver from that requirement.

Read Peer Review Letter from USED

The USED requires states to provide notice to the public and an opportunity to comment on the request. Comments must be submitted by April 19, 2016 through the online survey available here: goo.gl/forms/V7uK1zntTw.

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

Draft Science Standards Available to the Public

March 11, 2016News ReleasesScience Standards Review Committee, State Board of EducationKari Eakins

CHEYENNE – The 2015-16 Science Standards Review Committee is recommending a draft set of science standards, which can be viewed here. The draft 2016 Wyoming Science Content and Performance Standards will be discussed by the Wyoming State Board of Education during their meeting at the Hulett Community Center on March 17-18. After discussion, if the board decides to receive the draft standards, further public input will be collected.

“Wyoming took a deep dive into its review of science standards and made sure the public was involved throughout the entire process,” said Wyoming State Superintendent Jillian Balow. “This committee worked together from beginning to end, with the needs of our schools and our state at the forefront of their work. We are all grateful for their dedication. This standards review process was inclusive, comprehensive, and thoughtful. Input from citizens was embraced by the committee from the first town hall meeting to valuable input provided by science and business professionals.”

The board voted on March 17, 2015 to re-engage a science standards committee to review Wyoming’s Science Content and Performance Standards. A committee of 41 members was formed, including members of the 2012-13 committee, teachers, administrators, post-secondary educators, parents, business and community members. The committee reviewed the work of the previous committee, the science standards from eleven states, national standards, and public input gathered online and through regional meetings.

The committee said in a statement, “Each stakeholder group involved in this process brought forth intelligence, experience, and commitment. With so many perspectives and views, we have had to debate the merits of all viewpoints and decide on what’s best for the education of Wyoming students. We are confident that these science standards will provide an important foundation for Wyoming graduates locally and globally.”

More from the committee is available in their video to Wyoming citizens. Additional resources are also available:

Superintendent Balow and WDE staff will be available to discuss the standards review process and to recognize the work of the committee during a press conference at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 11, 2016 at the Wyoming Department of Education. Members of the press and the public are welcome to join in person in Room 281, via phone at 307-438-9905 or 888-670-9530, or online at www.uberconference.com/wdeuberconference.

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

WAPSD Agenda Changed Due to Weather

February 1, 2016News ReleasesWAPSDKari Eakins

CHEYENNE – Due to winter weather conditions, the Wyoming Advisory Panel for Students with Disabilities (WAPSD) has changed the agenda for their meeting scheduled for February 2-3, 2016 at Casper College.

The Panel will now meet from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on February 2, and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on February 3. Public comment will be taken at 9:00 a.m. on February 3. The meeting will still take place in Gateway Building Room 225 at 125 College Drive in Casper, Wyo. The updated agenda can be viewed here.

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Additional information regarding the Panel is available at edu.wyoming.gov/in-the-classroom/special-programs/wapsd/. For information about how to provide public comment, please contact the Panel’s Administrative Assistant, Kodi Gerhold, at kodi.gerhold@wyo.gov or 307-777-3530.

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