CHEYENNE – The Wyoming State Board of Education (SBE) approved options for flexibility regarding state accountability requirements and alternative schedules for the 2020-21 school year in response to COVID-19 at its meeting on October 26. While meeting virtually, the SBE also approved teacher and leader evaluation systems submitted by several districts. In further action, the board emphasized the importance placed on hearing from stakeholders by approving  a state board public input email to be posted on the Wyoming State Board of Education website.

The emergency Chapter 3 Rules were adopted by the SBE to allow a process for exceptions to the state accountability requirements for the 2020-21 school year because of the inability of schools to administer the statewide assessment in the 2019-20 school year. This decision was made based on a recommendation from the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) and its Assessment Technical Advisory Committee that Wyoming assess its students to the greatest extent possible, while not giving School Performance Ratings for the 2020-21 school year.

The recommendation was based on uncertainty of the ability to assess 95 percent of students in the spring of 2021 and the impact of missing assessment data from the 2019-20 school year on accountability indicators, including Growth and Equity.

“As much as we wish it were not the case, schools and students in Wyoming are very much being impacted by COVID,” said SBE Chair Ryan Furhman. “The board knows that even without School Performance Ratings, districts and teachers will do everything they can to ensure that students are still learning.  We hope we can reestablish a baseline with our test this spring, but more importantly we hope everyone stays healthy and safe this winter.”

Additionally, the WDE addressed the potential need for school districts to make adjustments to  school calendars throughout the 2020-21 school year due to the ongoing pandemic. Wyoming state law requires all alternative schedules be approved by the SBE. The board approved emergency Chapter 21 Rules allowing alternative schedules to be presented to the dias as necessary during the 120 days in which the emergency rules are in effect.

The SBE also serves as the Wyoming State Board of Vocational Education. In that role, the board received a presentation on the services provided to young people through LoveTrades, an online program providing personalized tools to assist students in discovering and connecting to future opportunities within the trades. The board also received its quarterly update of career and technical education activities which provided highlights on grant awards, various training opportunities, externships, and the Perkins V approved programs of study.

The next board meeting is scheduled as a virtual meeting on November 19, 2020. For more information about the SBE, visit  the SBE website and follow the SBE on Facebook and Twitter.

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Media Contact:
Diana Clapp
(307) 851-3478
diana.clapp@wyo.gov