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 vocational 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 and regulation of the state board and required under W.S. 21-3-110(a)(xxiv). 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 pupil-teacher contact time defined by the state board;

(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.