§ 21-2-304 — Duties of the state board of education

(a) The state board of education shall:
(i) Establish policies for public education in this
state consistent with the Wyoming Constitution and statutes and
may promulgate rules necessary or desirable for the proper and
effective implementation of this title and its responsibilities
under this title. Nothing in this section shall give the state
board rulemaking authority in any area specifically delegated to
the state superintendent;
(ii) Through the evaluation and accreditation of
school districts, implement and enforce the uniform standards
for educational programs prescribed under W.S. 21-9-101 and 21-
9-102 in the public schools of this state, including any
educational institution receiving any state funds except for the
University of Wyoming and Wyoming community colleges, and
implement and enforce the statewide education accountability
system pursuant to W.S. 21-2-204. The board shall ensure that
educational programs offered by public schools in accordance
with these standards provide students an opportunity to acquire
sufficient knowledge and skills, at a minimum, to enter the
University of Wyoming and Wyoming community colleges, to prepare
students for the job market or postsecondary career and
technical training and to achieve the general purposes of
education that equips students for their role as a citizen and
participant in the political system and to have the opportunity
to compete both intellectually and economically in society. In
addition, the board shall require school district adherence to
the statewide education accountability system;
(iii) By rule and regulation and in consultation and
coordination with local school districts, prescribe uniform
student content and performance standards for the common core of
knowledge and the common core of skills specified under W.S.
21-9-101(b), and promulgate uniform standards for programs
addressing the special needs of student populations specified
under W.S. 21-9-101(c) that ensure these student populations are
provided the opportunity to learn the common core of knowledge
and skills as prescribed by the uniform student content and
performance standards pursuant to this paragraph. Student
content and performance standards prescribed under this
paragraph shall include standards for graduation from any high
school within any school district of this state. The ability to
prescribe content and performance standards shall not be
construed to give the state board of education the authority to
prescribe textbooks or curriculum which the state board is
hereby forbidden to do. Graduation standards imposed under this
paragraph shall require the successful completion of the
following components, as evidenced by passing grades or by the
successful performance on competency-based equivalency
examinations:
(A) Four (4) school years of English;
(B) Three (3) school years of mathematics;
(C) Three (3) school years of science, one (1)
year of which may be satisfied by one (1) year of computer
science; and
(D) Three (3) school years of social studies,
including history, American government and economic systems and
institutions, provided business instructors may instruct classes
on economic systems and institutions.
(iv) In consultation with local school districts,
establish requirements for students to earn a high school
diploma as evidenced by course completion and as measured by
each district's assessment system prescribed by rule of the
state board and required under W.S. 21-3-110(a)(xxiv). The board
shall also, in consultation with local districts, establish
requirements by rule for students with disabilities as
identified under the federal Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq. to obtain a high school
certificate of completion to be issued by school districts. The
requirements to obtain a high school certificate of completion
shall be consistent with the student's individual education
program. Once every five (5) years and on a staggered basis, the
state board shall through the department, review and approve
each district's assessment system designed to determine the
various levels of student performance as aligned with the
uniform state standards and the attainment of high school
graduation requirements as evidenced by course completion. In
addition and following review, refinement and revision of
student content and performance standards adopted under
paragraph (a)(iii) of this section and reviewed under subsection
(c) of this section, the board shall establish a process to
ensure district assessment systems are aligned with the refined
and revised standards within three (3) full school years
following adoption of revised standards;
(v) Through the state superintendent and in
consultation and coordination with local school districts,
implement a statewide assessment system comprised of a coherent
system of measures that when combined, provide a reliable and
valid measure of individual student achievement for each public
school and school district within the state, and the performance
of the state as a whole. Statewide assessment system components
shall be in accordance with requirements of the statewide
education accountability system pursuant to W.S. 21-2-204.
Improvement of teaching and learning in schools, attaining
student achievement targets for performance indicators
established under W.S. 21-2-204 and fostering school program
improvement shall be the primary purposes of statewide
assessment of student performance in Wyoming. The statewide
assessment system shall:
(A) Measure individual student performance and
progress in a manner substantially aligned with the uniform
educational program and student content and performance
standards imposed by law and by board rule and regulation;
(B) Effective school year 2017-2018, and each
school year thereafter, be administered in specified grades
aligned to the student content and performance standards,
specifically assessing student performance in English language
arts and mathematics in grades three (3) through ten (10). In
addition, the statewide assessment system shall assess student
performance in science in grades four (4), eight (8) and ten
(10);
(C) Measure student performance in Wyoming on a
comparative basis with student performance in other states;
(D) Measure year-to-year changes in student
performance and progress in the subjects specified under
subparagraph (a)(v)(B) of this section. The assessment system
shall ensure the student performance measurements used at each
grade level are valid for the purposes for which they are being
used, including valid year-to-year comparisons of student and
school level results, and shall be sufficient to produce
necessary data to enable application of measures of performance
indicators as required under W.S. 21-2-204;
(E) Include interim assessments aligned to the
statewide content and performance standards and the statewide
summative assessment. The interim assessments required by this
subparagraph shall be optional for school districts to
administer as a part of the district assessment system. The
state board shall ensure results from the optional interim
assessments are provided to school districts as soon as possible
after completion of an interim assessment. All item types used
on the statewide student summative assessment shall be included
in interim assessments to the extent practical within the
reporting timeline;
(F) Provide a fair and unbiased assessment of
student performance without regard to race, ethnicity, limited
English proficiency and socioeconomic status;
(G) Provide appropriate accommodations or
alternative assessments to enable the assessment of students
with disabilities as specified under W.S. 21-9-101(c)(i) and
students with limited English proficiency;
(H) Provide a measure of accountability to
enhance learning in Wyoming and in combination with other
measures and information, assist school districts in determining
individual student progress as well as school level achievement,
growth and readiness targets. In addition to reporting
requirements imposed under W.S. 21-2-204, the assessment results
shall be reported to students, parents, schools, school
districts and the public in an accurate, complete and timely
manner. For schools with students enrolled in full-time virtual
education programs, assessment results for students attending
full-time virtual education programs shall be reported in
aggregate form and separate from students physically attending
class in a school facility. Assessment results shall be used in
conjunction with each school district's assessments to design
educational strategies for improvement and enhancement of
student performance required under W.S. 21-2-204. Assessment
results shall also be used to guide actions by the state board
and the department in providing and directing a progressive
system of support and intervention to districts in developing
school improvement plans in response to student performance to
attain target levels measured and established under W.S. 21-2-
204. In consultation and coordination with school districts,
the board shall subject to W.S. 21-2-204, review and evaluate
the assessment system regularly and based upon uniform statewide
reports, annually report to the legislature as required under
W.S. 21-2-204;
(J) Require no more than one percent (1%) of the
total pupil-teacher contact time, as defined by the state board
for each school year, for student participation in a
nonaccommodated administration of the statewide summative
assessment. The statewide summative assessment shall be
administered as late as practical in the instructional year and
shall be administered to allow for the return of results in
sufficient time for schools and districts to utilize the results
for improvement strategies. To the extent possible, the
statewide summative assessment shall be administered utilizing
an online platform;
(K) Include a reporting system utilizing best
practices to ensure useful, high quality and transparent reports
to support improvement strategies.
(vi) Subject to and in accordance with W.S. 21-2-204,
through the state superintendent and in consultation and
coordination with local school districts, by rule and regulation
implement a statewide accountability system. The accountability
system shall include a technically defensible approach to
calculate school level performance indicators as required by
W.S. 21-2-204. The state board shall establish performance
targets as required by W.S. 21-2-204(e), target levels for an
overall school performance rating and for indicator level
performance pursuant to W.S. 21-2-204(f), a progressive system
of supports and interventions as required by W.S. 21-2-204(h)
and a statewide reporting system pursuant to W.S. 21-2-204(j).
As part of the statewide accountability system, and for purposes
of complying with requirements under the federal Every Student
Succeeds Act, the board shall by rule and regulation provide for
annual accountability determinations based upon measures imposed
by federal law for all schools and school districts imposing a
range of educational interventions and supports resulting from
accountability determinations;
(vii) Repealed By Laws 2012, Ch. 101, § 2.
(b) In addition to subsection (a) of this section and any
other duties assigned to it by law, the state board shall:
(i) Repealed By Laws 1997 Special Session, ch. 3, §
302; 1994, ch. 17, § 2.
(ii) Enforce the uniform state educational program
standards imposed by W.S. 21-9-101 and 21-9-102 and the uniform
student content and performance standards established by rules
and regulations adopted under subsection (a) of this section,
together with student performance indicators established and
measured pursuant to W.S. 21-2-204, by taking appropriate
administrative action with the state superintendent, including
but not limited to the changing of accreditation status;
(iii) Repealed by Laws 1993, ch. 217, § 3.
(iv) Repealed by Laws 1987, ch. 190, §§ 2, 5.
(v) Initiate or facilitate discussions regarding the
needs of and the means for improving education;
(vi) Repealed by Laws 1987, ch. 190, §§ 2, 5.
(vii) Repealed by Laws 1994, ch. 17, § 2.
(viii) Approve or disapprove alternative scheduling
for school districts requesting to operate for fewer than one
hundred seventy-five (175) days in school year, but no schedule
shall be approved which reduces the minimum pupil-teacher
contact time defined by the state board. The state board shall
establish by rule for grades kindergarten through twelve (12)
minimum pupil-teacher contact time requirements, which may
include instruction outside of the physical classroom through
virtual education or other equivalent methods the state board
deems appropriate;
(ix) Repealed by Laws 1994, ch. 17, § 2.
(x) Repealed by Laws 2006, Chapter 34, § 2.
(xi) Repealed by Laws 1994, ch. 17, § 2.
(xii) Repealed by Laws 1994, ch. 17, § 2.
(xiii) Repealed by Laws 1994, ch. 17, § 2.
(xiv) Based upon student performance levels
determined under W.S. 21-2-204, establish improvement goals for
public schools for assessment of student progress based upon the
national assessment of educational progress testing program and
the statewide assessment system established under paragraph
(a)(v) of this section;
(xv) Promulgate rules and regulations for the
submission and approval of comprehensive school district teacher
performance evaluation systems. The state board shall, in
consultation with local school districts, establish general
criteria for school district teacher performance evaluation
systems that provide school districts flexibility in designing
teacher evaluations to improve classroom instruction;
(xvi) Not later than July 1, 2018, promulgate rules
and regulations for implementation and administration of a
comprehensive performance evaluation system for school and
district leadership, including superintendents, principals and
other district or school leaders serving in a similar capacity.
The performance evaluation system shall identify professional
standards prescribed by board rule and regulation. The system
shall also allow districts opportunity to refine the system to
meet the individual needs of each district. Any alternative
leader evaluation system shall be approved by the state board,
through the department, before adoption;
(xvii) Through the state superintendent, implement,
administer and supervise education programs and services for
adult visually handicapped and adult hearing impaired persons
within the state.
(c) The state board shall perform an ongoing review of
state board duties prescribed by law and may make
recommendations to the legislature on board duties. In addition
and not less than once every nine (9) years, the board shall
evaluate and review the uniformity and quality of the
educational program standards imposed under W.S. 21-9-101 and
21-9-102 and the student content and performance standards
promulgated under paragraph (a)(iii) of this section. The state
board, in consultation with the state superintendent, shall
establish a process to receive input or concerns related to the
student content and performance standards from stakeholders,
including but not limited to parents, teachers, school and
district administrators and members of the public at large, at
any time prior to the formal review by the state board. The
state board shall report findings and recommendations to the
joint education interim committee of the legislature on or
before December 1 of the year in which the formal review and
evaluation of the student content and performance standards was
undertaken. The joint education interim committee shall report
its recommendations, based upon findings and recommendations of
the state board, to the legislature during the immediately
following legislative session.
(d) Repealed by Laws 1994, ch. 17, § 2.
(e) In addition to subsections (a) and (b) of this
section, the state board shall establish statewide goals for
Wyoming public education.