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

(a) The board of trustees of each school district within the state shall cause the schools under its jurisdiction to provide an educational program in accordance with uniform standards defined under this section and rules and regulations promulgated by the state board of education pursuant to W.S. 21-2-304(a).

(b) Each school district within the state shall provide educational programs sufficient to meet uniform student content and performance standards at the level established by the state board of education in the following areas of knowledge and skills:

(i) Common core of knowledge:

(A) Reading/language arts;

(B) Social studies;

(C) Mathematics;

(D) Science;

(E) Fine arts and performing arts;

(F) Physical education;

(G) Health and safety;

(H) Humanities;

(J) Career/vocational education;

(K) Foreign cultures and languages;

(M) Repealed by Laws 2018, ch. 123, § 2.

(N) Government and civics including state and federal constitutions pursuant to W.S. 21-9-102;

(O) Computer science.

(ii) For grades one (1) through eight (8), reading, writing and mathematics shall be emphasized under the common core of knowledge specified under paragraph (b)(i) of this section;

(iii) Common core of skills:

(A) Problem solving;

(B) Interpersonal communications;

(C) Computational thinking and computer applications;

(D) Critical thinking;

(E) Creativity;

(F) Life skills, including personal financial management skills.

(c) In addition to subsection (b) of this section, each school district within this state shall provide programs designed for the special needs of those student populations specified within this subsection. Programs under this subsection shall be provided and shall identify special student populations in accordance with rules and regulations of the state board of education. The state board shall monitor the proportion of students in each special needs category, compared to available regional averages. Special needs student populations include:

(i) Children with disabilities evaluated in accordance with rules and regulations of the state board as having intellectual disability, hearing impairments including deafness, speech or language impairments, visual impairments including blindness, serious emotional disturbance, orthopedic impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, specific learning disabilities, deafness and blindness or other multiple disabilities, and who, because of the impairments, need special education and related services; and

(ii) Gifted and talented students identified by professionals and other qualified individuals as having outstanding abilities, who are capable of high performance and whose abilities, talents and potential require qualitatively differentiated educational programs and services beyond those normally provided by the regular school program in order to realize their contribution to self and society.

(d) In addition to subsections (b) and (c) of this section, each school district within this state shall endeavor to maintain when practicable, in kindergarten through grade three (3) within the district, an average class size of no more than sixteen (16) students per teacher, excluding children with disabilities who spend more than fifty percent (50%) of their time outside of regular classroom instruction.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit school districts from establishing cocurricular activity programs which have as their purpose to provide educational experiences not otherwise provided by the local district. The legislature specifically encourages school districts to establish programs of this type.

(f) It is the intent of the legislature that the funding mechanism established by law for schools encourage school districts to achieve the goal of reduced class sizes.

(g) Not later than the 2002-2003 school year, all school districts shall provide instruction in foreign languages to students in kindergarten through grade 2 in accordance with standards promulgated by the state board.