Category Archives: Superintendent’s Update

State Superintendent Megan Degenfelder sends an update to school district superintendents so they can see the memos which will be sent out the following week and highlight statewide education work.

Election Results

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

Congratulations to election winners across our state and nation. Governor-Elect Gordon mentioned his desire to support education and stable education funding during his acceptance speech on Tuesday night. He served on the Johnson County School Board for a number of years. Personally, I am thrilled to continue my service to the state for another four years. I look forward to working with the new governor and with both new and seasoned members of the legislature.

Education, as always, was a topic of campaigns nationwide. Election outcomes will impact state education governance in many state legislatures, state education agencies, and in the U.S. Congress. The Education Commission of the States tracked elections with an education lens and the outcome is depicted in the infographic below.

Education Commission of the States. 2018 Elections. Changes in state education leadership. Governors: 36 states plus D.C. held Governors races resulting in 16 democrats (11 new, 5 incumbent) and 19 Republican Governors (8 new, 11 incumbent). Of the 50 state governors, 23 are democrats and 26 are republicans with some races still being decided. In Legislative Chambers, 87 elections were held. Democrats gained control in six states: Colorado senate, Connecticut senate, Maine senate, Minnesota house, and New Hampshire house and senate. Democrats now control 37 chambers and Republicans control 61. Seven states held elections for Chief State School Officers, resulting in a new democratic chief in Arizona and a new Democratic chief in California. Republican incumbents were reelected in Georgia, Idaho, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wyoming. Eight states plus the District of Columbia held elections for State Boards of Education, with 40 seats up for election, resulting in 21 new and 19 incumbent board members. Thanks to NGA, NCSL, CCSSO, and NASBE for their collaboration.

Educator Training

Despite the cold weather educators continue to gather for training opportunities. This week:

  • WDE partnered with community colleges and Canvas to host the annual Innovations Conference in Evanston
  • Jan Hoegh led the New Art and Science of Teaching training in Casper
  • 25 school leadership teams participated in the first Leadership Coaching Academy session this week and focused on developing a Culture of Collaboration and Ensuring that Students Learn – two of the “big ideas” that represent the core principles of Professional Learning Communities.

The State Superintendent’s Policy Summit (S5S) is being restructured to provide training on the 25 components of Wyoming Accreditation. It will not be held during the 2019 legislative session as in the past. Information on the 2019 S5S will be shared at a later date.

A trainer from Canvas speaks from a podium while the dashboard is displayed on a projector screen for attendees to follow along.
Training on the Canvas platform was offered in advance of this week’s Innovations Conference

Memo to be released on Tuesday, November 13, 2018:

Jillian

New Accountability Results Released

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

Accountability results for 2017-18 were released yesterday. Thank you again to school districts for reviewing your school-level data and helping us to push out reports that are relevant and useful in the school improvement process. Reports are available on Fusion and our staff continues to provide technical assistance. Here is a link to the media release:

Media Release: New State and Federal Accountability Results

Three educators sit around a table working intensely on their laptops. The wall behind them is full of posters covered with sticky notes from the workshop.
Educators from across Wyoming came to Laramie recently to participate in a three-part series to plan and develop science units of instruction. The Five Tools training was presented by BSCS Science Learning.
Five WDE staff wear halloween PacMan Halloween costumes. Everyone is dressed in black with posterboard hanging around their neck that shows PacMan, cherries, and three of the ghosts that chase PacMan throughout the game.
WDE staff welcomes local trick-or-treaters while channeling old-school PACMAN

Memos to be released on Monday, November 5:

Jillian

Report Cards

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

REPORT CARDS

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) represents a significant shift in educational authority from the federal government to states and local schools. Over the past two years you’ve likely heard me talk about the new requirements for public reporting that will be a lift for every district and every school. Two years ago this deadline seemed far away–now it looms.

Local and state report cards are a tangible way to:

  • link the federal and state accountability systems
  • reveal inequities and strengths with student groups and set goals to address challenges
  • link accountability to school improvement efforts
  • report to the pubic in a meaningful way

As with all educational endeavors in Wyoming, we at the WDE view our role as partners in successful implementation. There is a memo this week that outlines some information about state and local reporting.

Of note, the WDE will provide two webinars to help schools and districts navigate the requirements and next steps. The webinars are scheduled for November 8th and 13th. The requirement to report locally is the responsibility of the local school district and the WDE will be available for technical assistance.

The report card is one of the first opportunities for the public to view school performance under the updated accountability system and how schools are meeting the needs of specific student groups such as English Learners (ELs).

STATE ESSA PLANS

The final state ESSA plan was recently approved. (Wyoming’s plan was approved in January of this year–link to news release.) As the nation is now fully immersed in the implementation phase of ESSA, many are reflecting on the planning process in states. One thing Wyoming took to heart during the planning process was stakeholder engagement. Because of the input we received, our state plan was reflective of diverse views and aligned with other education reform efforts.

Recently, the Collaborative for Student Success analyzed every state ESSA plan and found nearly 2,000 mentions of stakeholder organizations throughout the plans. The Collaborative sent a survey to stakeholder organizations, and 400 responded to the survey.

  • 81% of survey respondents said they had great or some opportunity to provide feedback.
  • 82% of survey respondents said they were either “very engaged” or “somewhat engaged” in the development of the state’s ESSA plan.
  • 75% of survey respondents said they received follow-up information from state officials after the plan was submitted.

In Wyoming, I suspect those numbers would be similar or higher. Stakeholder engagement continues to be an underpinning of all our work with ESSA and other education efforts. We thank you and value our partnership!

Member of the Computer Science Standards Review Committee sit at tables reviewing the draft standards.
Above and Below: the Computer Science standards committee meets in Casper this week to work on stand-alone CS standards for implementation by 2022.
cs1
Computer Science Standards Review Committee Members sit classroom style in a conference room reviewing outlines of the draft standards, which are projected onto large screens as the WDE Standards and Assessment Director, Laurie Hernandez, leads them through a facilitated discussion.

Memos to be released:

Jillian

Reviewing Accountability Reports

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

Embargoed accountability/school performance reports have been released. Thank you for reviewing, and having principals in your district review, your confidential reports. Thanks to you we’ve been able to make improvements to the report and have gotten great feedback on accountability in general.

It was so exciting to present the new Wyoming Teacher of the Year award to Valerie Bruce from Rozet Elementary School in Campbell County. Mrs. Bruce will represent our state for one year. She will take a deep dive into education policy at the national level, work with other state teachers of the year, and advocate for education.

Mrs. Bruce stands with faculty and students from her school behind a banner that reads, "2019 Wyoming Teacher of the Year, Valerie Bruce."
Mrs. Bruce and a few hundred of her fans planned a surprise assembly for her.
Valerie Bruce and Sara Reed pose next to each other outside Valerie's school with the Wyoming prairie in the background.
2018 & 2019 Wyoming Teachers of the Year–Valerie Bruce (L) and Sara Reed (R)

Memos to be released on Monday, October 22:

Jillian

Leadership in Personalized and Digital Learning

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

This is a short and sweet update as I am hunting in northern Wyoming and there are no memos to share.

Educators from across Wyoming met in Casper this past week for the first Leadership in Personalized and Digital Learning training. This cohort of Winning innovative leaders offers school and district leaders an opportunity for job-embedded, professional learning to prepare to lead personalized learning in their schools and districts.

A dozen educators stand in a circle in the middle of a conference room for a facilitated discussion.

There are no memos this week.

Jillian

WDE Hits the Road

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

WDE was out and about across the state this week. Here are a few photos–partnering with educators on policy and practice is our specialty!

WDE staff look at Standards Supervisor Barb Marquer as she points to a screen she used for her presentation which features the logos for Boot Up Wyoming and the Wyoming Department of Education.
WDE’s Catherine Palmer, Barb Marquer, and Laurie Hernandez (L to R) presented on Implementing Computer Science: Supporting Districts through Grants & Programs at the 2018 code.org CSTA State Policy Forum Friday in Denver
WDE staff wit with staff from the American Heart Association in a collaboration space at the WDE. One of them holds a keyring full of trinkets.
WDE teammates Rob Black and Kodi Gerhold met Monday with Emily Kirk and Elizabeth Tomlin from the American Heart Association to discuss the promotion of the Kids Heart Challenge in schools and communities across Wyoming
The state superintendent sits on stage at Little America with two other panelists.
Slyvia Lyles from the U.S. Dept. of Education and Jodi Grant from the National Afterschool Alliance attended Wyoming’s Afterschool Alliance annual conference this week.
A classroom full of teachers look at a screen where Cindy and Sharla lead training on the new science standards.
Round two of the Five Tools training began at Laramie County School District #1 on Monday with Cindy Gay and Sharla Dowding from BSCS Science Learning

Memos to be released on Monday, October 8:

Jillian

Fall is Here

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

The week wrapped up with snow in some of our communities–fall is definitely here! With that comes additional announcements (memos) from our office. Many are the annual requests for data and the dissemination of information while some have brand new information and opportunities. As I have for the past several years, I will continue to send memos for you to preview with this update–they go public on Mondays. The WDE also shares information via social media. If you, your board members, or your staff are not connected to our social media sites, links are at the bottom of this update.

THIS WEEK

The Joint Education Interim Committee met this week in Casper to hear from stakeholders about school finance and education issues. The meeting wrapped up late this afternoon.

AdvancED held their Continuous Improvement Conference in Laramie. Former State Superintendent Judy Catchpole and Cody Superintendent Ray Schulte were recognized for their service on the council and Lovell Superintendent Rick Woodford received an award for his leadership.

Executives from AdvancEd give Superintendent Woodford his award.
Lovell Superintendent Woodford is honored for his leadership
An executive from AdvancEd gives former state superintendent Judy Catchpole her award.
Judy Catchpole is honored for her service to the AdvancED council
Memos to be released on Monday, October 1:

Jillian

CTE and Afterschool Programs

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

This week I had the opportunity to present to a U.S. Senate Caucus on Career and Technical Education and after school opportunities. Attendance at the panel was standing room only and caucus members heard clearly about how the work they’ve done to create flexibility in both Perkins and ESSA creates more opportunities for students to achieve education goals. It was exciting to share how, through grant funding (Title IV-B and Wyoming Trust Fund), we were able to create alignment between accountability, CTE, computer science, and after school programs. Thank you for your innovation–it’s always an honor to represent the great work happening in Wyoming schools.

Superintendent Balow stands with other presenters to the U.S. Senate Caucus in the congressional room where the meeting took place. A presentation screen reads, "CTE and Afterschool Update: Youth Career Pathways Succeed with Partners."
Presenters from across the nation share experiences and policy
EVENTS

Wyoming’s First Ever Hackathon was a Success! (take a look at #6!)

  1. Overstock.com committed to opening a new office for blockchain software developers in Wyoming.
  2. ActiveAether announced it is relocating from New York City to Jackson.
  3. ActiveAether announced a donation of compute capacity worth $20k in fogcoins to UW’s Computer Science Dept.
  4. 27 teams competed—comprised of developers from Switzerland, Egypt, Slovakia, China, Kenya, Canada and all over Wyoming and the US.
  5. All 3 candidates for governor of Wyoming (D, L, R) judged the “Best for Wyoming” category and pitched to participants to stay in Wyoming.
  6. A teacher and his 3 teenaged students from Shoshoni were awarded several thousand dollars in prize value by Decent, a Swiss company whose engineers traveled from Switzerland and Slovakia to attend and they mentored the Shoshoni students.

Latina Conference

In years past, many schools have sent young women to the Wyoming Latina Youth Conference and I would like to, once again, extend an invitation for students and teachers in your district to attend. With “Power of Choice” as a theme, there are inspirational speakers throughout the event. Please share this link with anyone who might be interested: http://www.wyominglatinayouthconference.com/

UW President Laurie Nichols and Community College Executive Director Sandy Caldwell meet with State Superintendent Jillian Balow in her office at the Wyoming Department of Education.
Community College Exec Director Sandy Caldwell, UW President Laurie Nichols, and State Superintendent Jillian Balow meet regularly to align goals and practice.

Memos to be released on Monday, September 24, 2018:

Jillian

Financial Literacy Resource

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,

Thanks to a partnership between the University of Wyoming and Ramsey Education, Wyoming high schools can receive financial literacy curriculum and entrepreneurship curriculum free of charge. Financial literacy continues to be a priority of mine and I encourage you to read my letter with more information:

https://edu.wyoming.gov/downloads/communications/2018/RamseyLetter091318.pdf

Superintendent Balow with Assistant Deputy Secretary Jose Viana and staff at Munger Mountain Elementary School stand in the hallway underneath a banner that reads, "Somos Los Lobos. We are safe. Responsables. Respetuosos U Global Citizens."
Touring Munger Mountain Elementary, a dual language immersion school in Jackson, with USED’s Assistant Deputy Secretary Jose Viana.

Both Teton #1 and Laramie #1 welcomed Assistant Deputy Secretary Jose Viana on school visits as part of USED’s Back-to-School Tour. Jose is the Director of the Office of English Language Acquisition and both school districts were able to show their excellent work with English Learners and their families. You can read more on his visit in the articles linked below:

https://www.jhnewsandguide.com/jackson_hole_daily/local/article_3e22ff4d-f784-5fe6-aac5-01220a787689.html

https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/fed-officials-tour-cheyenne-schools-to-praise-efforts-with-esl/article_71ed9820-b8b3-11e8-aaf0-17e8a0a8575e.html

Memos to be released:

Jillian

Boot Up Wyoming School Tours

Superintendent's Update

Dear Superintendents,
The Boot Up Wyoming Team at WDE finished school tours this week to gather information about computer science education. Here are a few initial takeaways:

  • Many schools have begun offering basic and advanced computer science courses.
  • Teachers are anxious for computer science standards and often asked questions about the timeline.
  • The desire and need for professional development was expressed consistently throughout the state.
  • Meeting the demand of students who want to take computer science classes is a challenge and will be more of a challenge going forward.
  • Elementary educators are concerned about implementing computer science into the school day (integrated, as a discrete subject, how long, etc)

To date 40 of 48 districts have completed computer science cost survey released last April. We are anxious to report on the results once we have 100% completion.

buw
Laurel Ballard and the WDE Team visit schools to assess Boot Up Wyoming needs and capacity

Memos to be released on Monday, September 10:

Jillian