• CCSSO Summer Leadership Conference

    Dear Superintendents, In less than two weeks, Wyoming will host state superintendents from across the nation at the Council for Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) Summer Leadership Convening in Cheyenne. I am very excited to reconnect with my colleagues across the nation, show off our wonderful state, and lean in on the most important education [...]

  • Statement to President Biden Penned by Five State Superintendents and Commissioners of Education

    February 18, 2021 CHEYENNE - On February 17, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow submitted a letter to President Joe Biden on behalf of State Superintendents and Commissioners representing North Dakota, Montana, Alaska and Utah. The letter, which follows, expresses the five education representatives opposition to the actions taken to ban oil and gas [...]

  • Remembering Sen. Hank Coe

    We said goodbye to a friend, a leader, and a colleague last week. Senator Hank Coe, or, "Mr. Chairman" to many of us, passed this week after a brief battle with cancer. This is a true loss. Senator Coe led the Senate Education Committee for many years. He approached every topic with a wealth of [...]

  • Superintendent Balow’s Update – December 21, 2020

    Dear Superintendents, THERE WILL NOT BE AN UPDATE THIS WEEK. Enjoy the holidays. U.S. DEPT OF EDUCATION TRANSITION Earlier this week I, along with colleagues from other states, met virtually with the Biden transition team. During the meeting, convened by the Council for State School Officers (CCSSO), we discussed our top federal priorities for the [...]

  • National Native American Heritage Month

    Dear Superintendents, November is National Native American Heritage Month. Native Americans enrich the history, diversity, culture, and future of our country, and of Wyoming. In 2017 House Bill 76, Indian Education for All, passed the Wyoming Legislature and was signed into law. Soon after, work was underway to develop educational standards so that every student in Wyoming would have [...]

  • Superintendent Balow’s Statement on School Closure Extension

    CHEYENNE - Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow issued the following statement in light of the recent order by Governor Mark Gordon and the Wyoming Department of Health to extend school closures until the end of April. "As the State Superintendent, I can proudly say that education in Wyoming is prepared to move forward no [...]

  • The Fight Against the Coronavirus in Wyoming

    Dear Superintendents, As of writing this update, Coronavirus has spread to at least 50 countries. In Wyoming, state agency leaders, including myself, are meeting to receive updates, develop response plans, and provide guidance. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has detailed information about the Coronavirus, including a page with information specific to schools and communities. At [...]

  • Federal Funding Update

    Dear Superintendents, Welcome to 2020! In the spirit of "top tens of 2019, this article, Teaching in 2020 vs. 2010, caused me reflect on the year and decade gone by. Federal Funding Update Here is a rundown of the bill signed into law on December 20 by President Trump that provides funding for education for the [...]

  • Perkins V Wyoming State Plan Public Comment Period Open

    CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) is taking public comment on the proposed Wyoming state plan for the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V). The act provides federal funding for secondary and postsecondary career and technical education in Wyoming. The 2019-20 federal award to Wyoming is $5,037,372. In order [...]

  • Federal Update on STEM

    Dear Superintendents, On November 8, National STEM/STEAM Day, the United States Department of Education (ESED) announced a  $540 million in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education investment including computer science, through discretionary and research grants in Fiscal Year 2019, in accordance with the President’s directive to foster expanded opportunities in these in-demand career fields.    These funds deliver [...]

  • REVISED: WDE Seeks Public Comment on Perkins V Performance Assessment Targets

    This news release was revised to include updated postsecondary targets (highlighted in yellow), indicator definitions, and an extended public comment period closing date. CHEYENNE - The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) is taking public comment on proposed performance assessment targets for the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V). Perkins [...]

  • WDE Seeks Public Comment on Perkins V Performance Assessment Targets

    CHEYENNE - The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) is taking public comment on proposed performance assessment targets for the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V). Perkins V (five) provides federal funding for secondary and postsecondary career and technical education in Wyoming. The 2019-20 federal award to Wyoming is $5,037,372. [...]