Please Note: The following summaries of legislation enacted during the 2004 Legislative Session were prepared by the Legal Services Division Staff for internal use by the Legislative Service Office.

This report is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and does not purport to be an official statement of legislative intent concerning any measure enacted by the Legislature.

The bill summaries contained in this report were prepared as an aid to locating enacted legislation and as a brief recap of the major provisions of each bill. While the information provided in these summaries is accurate, the summaries are not intended as a detailed abstract and reference should be made to the enacted bills for more complete information.

Bill No.: HB0126 Drafter: DRN

LSO No.: 04LSO-0165.E1 Effective Date: 7/1/2004

Enrolled Act No.: HEA0070

Chapter No.: 109

Prime Sponsor: Representative Wasserburger

Catch Title: State assessment-accountability system-2.

Subject: Statewide student assessment and accountability systems and compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB).

Summary/Major Elements:

· Modifies statewide student assessment (WyCAS) to conform with NCLB by expanding grades assessed from grades 4, 8 and 11 to grades 3 through 8 and grade 11 commencing with school year 2005-2006, and by expanding assessment subjects from reading, writing and math to include science effective school year 2007-2008;

· Imposes additional assessment requirements and criteria;

· Establishes a statewide accountability system providing annual school and district accountability determinations imposing a range of educational consequences as required by NCLB;

· Continues the statewide task force established in 2003 to work with the state superintendent in continuing development of assessment and accountability systems;

· Establishes a process for transitioning from WyCAS to a revised assessment system by requiring a pilot testing of the revised assessment in school year 2004-2005 prior to implementation in school year 2005-2006;

· Requires a transitional accountability plan providing a temporary system of rewards and sanctions for all schools and school districts during school year 2004-2005, with recommendations for a permanent plan to be assembled;

· Task force and state superintendent work efforts to be reported to the state board of education, management council and joint education interim committee.

Comments:

· The statewide task force and state superintendent are required to report to the state board of education, the management council and the joint education interim committee on the development of the statewide assessment and accountability systems on or before November 1, 2004.