SF0168 - Education program standards.

 

2001

State of Wyoming

01LSO-0202

 

 

 

SENATE FILE NO.  SF0168

 

 

Education program standards.

 

Sponsored by:

 

 

A BILL

 

for

 

 1  AN ACT relating to public schools; modifying and clarifying
 2  responsibilities for student performance standards and the
 3  assessment of student performance as specified; imposing
 4  conditions on rules and regulations prescribing student
 5  performance standards; prescribing legislative purpose; and
 6  providing for an effective date.

 7 

 8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

 9 

10         Section 1.  W.S. 21-2-304(a)(iii)(intro) and (v),
11  21-3-110(a)(xv), by creating a new paragraph (xxii) and by
12  creating a new subsection (b) and 21-9-101(a) and
13  (b)(intro) are amended to read:

14 

15         21-2-304.  Duties of the state board of education.

16 

17         (a)  The state board of education shall:

 

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 1 

 2              (iii)  By rule and regulation and in consultation
 3  and coordination with local school districts, prescribe
 4  uniform student performance standards for the common core
 5  of knowledge and the common core of skills specified under
 6  W.S. 21-9-101(b) and promulgate uniform standards for
 7  programs addressing the special needs of student
 8  populations specified under W.S. 21-9-101(c). Unless
 9  specifically authorized by the legislature prior to July 1,
10  2007, rules and regulations promulgated under this
11  paragraph prior to July 1, 2001, shall on and after July 1,
12  2007, be null and void and of no effect. Student
13  performance standards shall only establish levels
14  sufficient to ensure students have been exposed to and
15  received instruction in essential components of the common
16  cores of knowledge and skills. The extent, scope and
17  breadth of exposure and instruction shall be determined by
18  each district board of trustees, subject to state board
19  education program guidelines. Student performance standards
20  prescribed under this paragraph shall include standards for
21  graduation from any high school within any school district
22  of this state based upon performance or mastery of the
23  common core of knowledge and common core of skills
24  prescribed under W.S. 21-9-101(b). Any district board of

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 1  trustees may modify the student performance standards to
 2  meet the special needs of student populations specified
 3  under W.S. 21-9-101(c). Graduation standards imposed under
 4  this paragraph shall require the successful completion of
 5  the following components, as evidenced by passing grades or
 6  by the successful performance on competency-based
 7  equivalency examinations:

 8 

 9              (v)  Through the state superintendent and in
10  consultation and coordination with local school districts,
11  implement a statewide assessment system for measuring
12  student progress based upon uniform educational program and
13  student performance standards imposed by law and by board
14  rule and regulation. The assessment system shall be
15  administered at appropriate levels at specified grades and
16  at appropriate intervals aligned to the standards. The
17  assessment system shall be aligned to the statewide
18  educational program standards, shall specifically assess
19  student performance in reading, writing and mathematics at
20  grades four (4), eight (8) and eleven (11). and may Each
21  school district shall implement district assessments to
22  measure the other common core of knowledge and skills
23  established under W.S. 21-9-101(b) which can be quantified.
24  School district assessment results shall be reported to the

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 1  state department and shall be disseminated to the public in
 2  a manner indicating the level of student achievement. The
 3  statewide assessment results will shall be used in
 4  conjunction with a school district's annual assessment to
 5  design educational strategies for improvement and
 6  enhancement of student performance. This design for
 7  improvement shall be part of each district's school
 8  improvement plan. In consultation and coordination with
 9  school districts, the board shall review and evaluate the
10  statewide assessment system regularly and based upon
11  uniform statewide reports from each district and district
12  assessment results, annually report to the legislature on
13  student performance at specified grade levels and on school
14  improvement plans.

15 

16         21-3-110.  Duties of boards of trustees.

17 

18         (a)  The board of trustees in each school district
19  shall:

20 

21              (xv)  Provide an educational program within the
22  schools under its jurisdiction in compliance with uniform
23  state standards prescribed under W.S. 21-9-101 and 21-9-102
24  and by rule and regulation of the state board, and

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 1  determine the extent, scope and breadth of instruction of
 2  the common cores of knowledge and skills subject to state
 3  board educational program standards and guidelines;

 4 

 5              (xxii)  Conduct assessments of student
 6  performance in the common cores of knowledge and skills not
 7  included under the statewide assessment as prescribed by
 8  W.S. 21-2-304(a)(v), and report assessment results to the
 9  state department for dissemination to the public as
10  required under W.S. 21-2-304(a)(v).

11 

12         (b)  Any district board failing to implement
13  paragraphs (a)(xv) and (xxii) of this section is subject to
14  administrative action of the state superintendent and the
15  state board of education pursuant to W.S. 21-2-202(c) and
16  21-2-304(b)(ii), including the changing of accreditation
17  status.

18 

19         21-9-101.  Educational programs for schools;
20  standards; core of knowledge and skills; special needs
21  programs; class size requirements; cocurricular activities.

22 

23         (a)  The board of trustees of each school district
24  within the state shall cause the schools under its

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 1  jurisdiction to provide an educational program in
 2  accordance with uniform standards defined under this
 3  section and rules and regulations promulgated by the state
 4  board of education pursuant to W.S. 21-2-304(a), subject to
 5  determinations of the board with respect to the extent,
 6  scope and breadth of instruction in components of the
 7  educational program.

 8 

 9         (b)  Subject to W.S. 21-2-304(a)(iii) and subsection
10  (a) of this section, each school district within the state
11  shall provide educational programs sufficient to meet
12  uniform student performance standards at the minimum level
13  established by the state board of education in the
14  following areas of knowledge and skills:

15 

16         Section 2.  The purpose of this act is to clarify the
17  responsibilities of the state board of education and the
18  boards of trustees of school districts with respect to
19  setting student performance levels and assessing student
20  performance against the required uniform statewide
21  educational program. It is not the purpose of this act to
22  diminish or otherwise modify the prescribed common cores of
23  knowledge and skills comprising the uniform educational
24  program.

 

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 2         Section 3.  This act is effective July 1, 2001.

 3 

 4                         (END)

 

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