The purpose of this meeting is to continue the Advisory Committee’s interim work in response to directives from the Select Committee on Statewide Education Accountability, including formulating and finalizing potential changes to the authorizing statute for the Wyoming Accountability in Education Act to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. Those changes will be presented at the September 21st meeting of the Select Committee on Statewide Education Accountability.
Tag Archives: Wyoming Legislature
Select Committee on School Facilities
The purpose of the meeting is to receive information from the School Facilities Commission and State Construction Department’s School Facilities Division related to construction of K-12 public schools, including the Commission’s 2017-2018 supplemental budget request, a prioritized list of projects and the preliminary results of the condition needs assessment conducted over the 2016 interim. The Agency will also provide additional information related to topics discussed at the June 15 meeting, including historical major maintenance expenditures and the major maintenance preservation program, value engineering, emergency project funding and mechanisms to increase energy efficiencies in schools across Wyoming.
Back to School
Dear Superintendents,
Last week’s update included a link and memo with a back-to-school kit. We have received positive feedback from superintendents, principals, legislators, and others—we are grateful that it’s informative and useful. Here is a link to the Snapshot.
It was an honor to help open the new school year at Carbon #1 with Superintendent Turcato. I am looking forward to, once again, visiting you in your communities throughout the school year.
You may notice new WDE staff members included on emails, delivering customer service, and visiting your schools. What a great team we are building! Among the new leaders at WDE are Shelley Hamel, the new School Support Division Director (replacing Rob Bryant) and Anne-Marie Williams, the new Individual Learning Division Director (replacing Chief Policy Officer Lisa Weigel). Yesterday, we welcomed a new staff members with a special breakfast reception and orientation.
OTHER NEWS
ACT
The national Class of 2016 ACT results were released this week placing Wyoming 11th among 18 states that administer the ACT to all juniors. I’ll reiterate that this is one measure, an important one albeit. I urge school districts to analyze local ACT scores and consider how to adjust practices to better align scores to student success. Here is a link to an article that appeared in today’s Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
THE CAPITOL and 2016-17 CLASS VISITS TO CHEYENNE
Yesterday, Wyoming broke ground on construction of the Capitol Square Project. The Project enters this new phase after months of abatement and demolition. The Project also includes renovation of the Herschler Building. For the first time in recent history, the office of the State Superintendent will be located in the Capitol along with the other statewide elected officials (Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, and Treasurer). The offices of WDE staff will be in a new wing of the Herschler Building. Completion of the Capitol is slated for early 2019. In the meantime, please encourage teachers and classes to continue to visit the Capitol City. Here is a brochure and summary of the renovation–teachers may be interested in reviewing it with students before visiting. The State Museum’s display about the Capitol is among many fabulous exhibits. Also, the Wyoming Supreme Court is completing a major project called the Wyoming Judicial Learning Center (in addition to icivics and You Be the Judge). The Center is set to open in early 2017 but students get a “sneak peek” when they visit.
I look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming WASA meeting! Have a wonderful weekend.
Memo to be released Monday, August 29:
- Memo 2016-100: United States Senate Youth Program
- 2016-100-attachment: USSYP Brochure
Jillian
Joint Education and Select Accountability Committees
This will be a meeting with the Joint Education Committee and the Select Committee on Statewide Education Accountability. It will take place at the Wyoming Oil & Gas Commission. The agenda is still TBA. More information will be available here.
Select Committee on School Facilities
This meeting will take place at the Jonah Business Center in Room L54. The agenda is still TBA. More information will be available here.
Joint Education Interim Committee
The meeting on September 19 will begin at 1:00 p.m. and reconvene on September 20 at 8:30 a.m. The purpose of this meeting is to receive additional information related to topics discussed at the June 13-14 meeting, review draft legislation and consider issues related to school finance, distance education, the Hathaway scholarship program, medically necessary placement of students and the state board of education governance structure.
School Facilities Commission
This will be a conference call to follow-up to the Commission’s August 17 business meeting, with members further addressing two items:
- Campbell County School District #1 (Gillette): Request for Unanticipated Funds for South High School
- 2017-18 Supplemental Budget Request
To participate, dial 1-888-601-1699; no call-in code is necessary.
Select Committee on School Facilities
This meeting will take place at Casper College in Room GW 225. The agenda is still TBA. More information will be available here.
Joint Education Committee
This meeting will take place at Casper College in Room GW 225. View the tentative agenda here.
Select Committee on Statewide Education Accountability
This meeting will take place at Casper College, Room PS 103. The agenda is still TBA. More information will be available here.