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Wyoming State Board of Education

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Assessments

Assessments

The Wyoming State Board of Education (SBE) defines assessment as an ongoing process that includes collecting, synthesizing, and interpreting information about what students know (knowledge) and are able to do (skills). These assessments include statewide tests, such as WY-TOPP and the ACT, and locally developed district assessments. The board encourages the use of locally developed performance and competency-based assessments to be included in district assessment systems. 

State Assessments

State assessments administered to Wyoming students include the Wyoming Test of Proficency and Progress (WY-TOPP) in grades 3-10 in Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) and writing in grades 5, 7, 9. The WY-TOPP also measures Science for students in grades 4, 8, and 10. Students designated as having the most significant cognitive disability are provided an individually-administered assessment title the Wyoming Alternative Assessment (WY-ALT) and students whose primary language is other than English take the ACCESS. In addition, all students in grade 11 take the ACT in English, math, reading, writing, and science.
 

Six Years of WY-TOPP & WY-TOPP Alt Proficiency Rates


Graph provides overall proficiency was steady but remains below the pre-pandemic levels by about 1-2%. Compared to last year, student proficiency decreased by 0.2% in ELA and 0.3% in Science and increased by 0.5% in Math.


The WY-TOPP graph show English Language Arts increases in proficiency were seen in grades 3, 4, and 7; decreases were seen in grades 5,6,8,9, and 10, with the exception of Grade 4, ELA scores remain between 1.0%-3.8% below pre-pandemic levels. Grade 4 has exceeded its pre-pandemic high for the first time by 0.6%. Grades 3 and 4 ELA made the largest gains with a 4.2% increased in proficiency in comparison to Spring 2023. Note that writing is tested in grades 3, 5, 7, and 9 and is part of the ELA score.

 

For detail information on assessments results under the state assessment system visit the the WDE assessment data portal.

 

American College Testing (ACT)

Wyoming assesses all 11th grade students on the ACT. Average 2024 ACT test scores by state show Wyoming as having the highest average composite score of 19.1 for all of the nine standards assessing 100% of students. 

 

See more state comparisons of ACT data.

 

National Assessment of Education Progress

What is NAEP? NAEP is a national assessment that measures what students know in various subjects over time. Students from all 50 states, the Department of Defense, District of Columbia, and some urban districts participate. NAEP results are released as

The Nation's Report Card.

 

The board establishes goals for public schools based on NAEP and the statewide assessment system. W.S. 21-2-304(b)(xiv). 

 

See how Wyoming compares nationally on the NAEP

 

Further analysis of Wyoming NAEP scores is provided through

Ignite Wyoming: Best in the West