Bill No.:                     HB0091                                 Drafter:  DRN

LSO No.:                   13LSO-0309                         Effective Date:  3/15/2013

Enrolled Act No.:    HEA0116

Chapter No.:            CH0195

Prime Sponsor:       Select Committee on Statewide Education Accountability

Catch Title:              Statewide education accountability-phase I (Sub #1).

Subject:                     Revision of Phase I of the Wyoming Accountability in Education Act, School Level Accountability.

Summary/Major Elements:  This act:

· Clarifies that the Department of Education is the administrative entity executing education accountability/assessment policy as set by the State Board of Education;

· Extends phase I school accountability system implementation from school year 2012‑2013 to school year 2013‑2014;

· Directs State Board, through the Department of Education, to correct and refine phase I accountability system components, as previously reported by the State Board to the Legislative Select Education Accountability Committee in November 2012;

· Requires reconvening of the statutorily established professional judgment panel to establish target levels used to gauge and report school level performance on a statewide basis;

· Mandates development of a statewide system of support and school level capacity building in responding to measured performance in consultation with the advisory committee to the Select Committee (the advisory committee is comprised of education stakeholders);

· Requires use of Hathaway student scholarship eligibility data reports as a college ready indicator within the accountability system model, provides for further study of use of computer adaptive college placement assessment as college ready indicator based upon data collected from test administration;

· Requires a report to the Select Committee from the State Board, through the Department, providing recommendations based upon piloting phase I, with Select Committee reporting to Legislature at 2014 budget session.  The State Board through the Department is required to provide outreach activities and communications to school districts and local communities coinciding with development of phase I system components and report recommendations;

· Beginning school year 2014‑2015, requires a uniform measure established by State Board criteria and guidelines for use by school districts in determining high school graduation eligibility, as end-of-course assessments for this purpose were not forwarded by the Select Committee based upon recommendations of the State Board;

· Modifies Advisory Committee membership to include State Department representative appointed by director in lieu of State Superintendent representation;

· Requires State Board, through Department, to investigate options available to the State for future statewide student assessments, and to report to Select Committee on findings and recommendations;

· Continues Department work in securing federal waiver for use of ACT instead of PAWS as grade 11 statewide assessment;

· Appropriates $250,000 to State Department for use by State Board and Department in executing prescribed phase I duties;

· Assigns legislative consultants to assist Department and State Board in executing phase I duties.

Comments:

· Phase I of the Wyoming Accountability in Education Act; School Performance Evaluation and Accountability.

· Multiple reports required.

· Amends major program.