2012 Wyoming Statutes
TITLE 21 - EDUCATION
CHAPTER 2 - THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE STATE SYSTEM OF EDUCATION AT THE STATE LEVEL
21-2-204. Wyoming Accountability in Education Act; statewide education accountability system created.

(a) This section shall be cited as the "Wyoming Accountability in Education Act."

(b) A statewide education accountability system shall be established in accordance with this section, which considers use of the components of the education resource block grant model as defined by W.S. 21-13-101(a)(xiv) and as contained in Attachment "A" as defined under W.S. 21-13-101(a)(xvii). The first phase of this system shall be a school-based system that includes student performance as measured through multiple indicators in those subjects for which students are assessed as specified by this subsection, that are reported in terms of student achievement at prescribed performance levels, and that are aggregated to the school level. Core indicators of student performance under the first phase of the statewide school-based accountability system for each applicable school shall be:

(i) School level performance in third through eighth and eleventh grade reading; and

(ii) Additional secondary school level outcomes.

(c) School level performance in reading shall be measured by the statewide assessment system implemented by the state board of education under W.S. 21-2-304(a)(v). Additional secondary school outcomes shall be measured in accordance with subsection (d) of this section. To the extent applicable, each measure shall be aggregated to the school level based upon those grades served inclusive to each school as reported by the respective school district to the department of education.

(d) Beginning in school year 2011-2012, and each school year thereafter, the department of education shall compute a combined school score for student performance in the core indicators specified under subsection (b) of this section as follows:

(i) For school level reading in grades three (3) through eight (8) and grade eleven (11), using existing proficiency performance levels specified on the statewide assessment:

(A) Each school shall record year-to-year performance level changes in reading for all students within grades three (3) through eight (8) and grade eleven (11) as may be served by that school. Year-to-year school level performance change designations shall be determined using statistically robust methodology and shall be assigned as follows:

(I) "Positive progress" if a school moves from its immediately preceding school year performance level to a higher performance level in the current school year;

(II) "Performance level unchanged" if a school's immediately preceding school year performance level is the same as its performance level in the current school year;

(III) "Negative progress" if a school moves from its immediately preceding school year performance level to a lower performance level in the current school year.

(B) Point values shall be assigned to each school according to the type of change in performance levels from the current school year compared to the performance level of the immediately preceding school year as follows:

(I) Schools demonstrating "positive progress" shall be designated as a positive point value;

(II) Schools demonstrating "performance level unchanged" shall be designated as an unchanged or zero (0) point value;

(III) Schools demonstrating "negative progress" shall be designated as a negative point value.

(ii) For additional secondary school-level outcomes, the following measures shall be used:

(A) A standardized, curriculum based college readiness test in grade eight (8) covering English, reading, mathematics and science, reported by the percentage of students meeting or exceeding college readiness benchmark scores for each subject area;

(B) A standardized, curriculum based achievement college entrance examination in grade eleven (11) covering English, reading, mathematics and science, reported by the percentage of students meeting or exceeding the college readiness benchmark score for each subject area.

(iii) All information generated under paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this subsection shall be recorded by matrix format established by rule and regulation of the department of education.

(e) The target level for student performance under the first phase of the statewide accountability system shall be positive progress on all core indicators measured under subsection (d) of this section.

(f) Commencing with school year 2013-2014, and each school year thereafter, any school that fails to meet the computed school improvement targets established under subsection (e) of this section shall be subject to the following:

(i) For the first year of failure to meet school improvement targets, the school district for that school shall report to the department of education on its identified cause for the school's failure to meet improvement targets and shall provide written articulation of instructional strategies and programs to accelerate student performance within that school sufficient to meet improvement targets through a performance acceleration plan. The plan shall include class schedules, curriculum choices and instructional materials, shall specify strategies targeting higher performance for students performing below target levels and strategies for maintaining students performing above target levels, and shall verify deployment of resources by the district necessary to implement the strategies for that school. Not later that August 1 of each applicable school year, each district subject to this paragraph shall file the performance acceleration report assembled in accordance with this paragraph with the department in a manner, subject to criteria and on a form prescribed by department rule and regulation. Not later than November 1 of the applicable school year, the department shall discuss each performance acceleration plan with the district superintendent and the chairman of the board of trustees of the school for which the plan is submitted, specifically addressing the performance acceleration strategies and programs contained within the report. The department shall also determine the sufficiency of resources planned for deployment by the district to implement articulated strategies for that school. On or before December 1 of the school year immediately following the school year for which the school improvement target is computed, the department shall report to members of the joint education interim committee and the joint appropriations interim committee, a compilation of all district reports submitted under this paragraph together with evidence of discussions with the district superintendents and board chairmen required under this paragraph, an analysis of the ability of each district's strategies and programs to succeed in accelerating student performance and the analysis of the sufficiency of resources to implement plan strategies;

(ii) For the second and subsequent years of failure to meet school improvement targets, the department of education shall from within existing resources of the department, designate a technical assistance team to develop turn-around strategies for each under-performing school. The turn-around strategy shall at a minimum, target curriculum, instruction, program content and school organization including the structure of the school day and year, and shall be implemented in the school year immediately following the school year for which the second and subsequent failure occurs. The technical assistance team shall also assist the school and the appropriate school district in implementing turn-around strategies and programs and if necessary, shall impose criteria on district allocation of resources necessary to fully implement turn-around strategies and programs within that school. The department shall report, annually on or before December 1, to members of the joint education interim committee and the joint appropriations interim committee on the technical assistance provided under this paragraph, together with rationale for selecting the imposed turn-around strategies and the evidence supporting the strategies. Any criteria on district resource allocation imposed under this paragraph shall also be included in the annual report;

(iii) In addition to paragraph (ii) of this subsection, the state board shall administer this subsection as part of school district accreditation required under W.S. 21-2-304(a)(ii), through appropriate administrative action taken in accordance with W.S. 21-2-304(b)(ii).

(g) Commencing with school year 2013-2014, and each school year thereafter, the school district for any school meeting the computed school improvement targets computed under subsection (e) of this section shall continue to receive a foundation program guarantee amount under W.S. 21-13-309(p) for that school without expenditure restrictions and interference imposed at the state level.

(h) Measured performance results obtained and collected pursuant to this section, together with subsequent actions responding to results, shall be combined with other information and measures maintained and acquired under W.S. 21-2-202(a)(xxi), 21-2-304(a)(v)(H), 21-3-110(a)(xxiv) and otherwise by law, to be used as the basis of a statewide system for providing periodic and uniform reporting on the progress of state public education achievement compared to established targets. The statewide accountability system shall include a process for consolidating, coordinating and analyzing existing performance data and reports for purposes of aligning with the requirements of this section and for determinations of student achievement incorporated into the statewide system.