Wyo. Code R. 206-0002-41
General Agency, Board or Commission Rules
Chapter 41: Virtual Education
Effective Date: 06/07/2022 to Current
Rule Type: Current Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 206.0002.41.06072022
Section 1. Authority. These rules are promulgated by the Wyoming Department of Education in consultation with the Wyoming State Board of Education and the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board under the authority of W.S. 21-2-202(a)(xxxi), W.S. 21-13-330, and W.S. 21-2-202(a)(i).
Section 2. Definitions. For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) 'Active virtual education course' means any virtual education course offered by an approved full- or part-time virtual education provider;
(b) 'Concurrent enrollment' means, for purposes of this rule and the Department's administration of the Wyoming virtual education network, an arrangement between two districts established pursuant to the laws of this state by which a student primarily enrolled in one district is permitted to have secondary enrollment in another district for a portion of the student's educational program;
(c) 'Course and services agreement' means an agreement entered into between any two (2) districts establishing terms and conditions under which a district that allows one or more students enrolled in one school district in the state to receive a portion of the pupil's education, which may be provided through virtual education, from another district in the state, as provided for under W.S. 21-4-502(c);
(d) 'Course sections' means simultaneous instances of a course offering with a unique student enrollment;
(e) 'Full-time virtual education' means providing more than fifty percent (50%) of the statewide educational program, required by W.S. 21-9-101 and 21-9-102, through virtual education, by a single school district established pursuant to the laws of this state;
(f) 'Full-time virtual education provider' means any school district established pursuant to the laws of the state that offers one or more virtual education courses approved by the Department and provides full-time virtual education for any student;
(g) 'Local board' means the educational governing body established at each Wyoming school district in accordance with W.S. 21-3-105;
(h) 'Part-time virtual education' means providing fifty percent (50%) or less of the statewide educational program, required by W.S. 21-9-101 and 21-9-102, through virtual education by a school district established pursuant to the laws of this state;
(i) 'Part-time virtual education provider' means any school district established pursuant to the laws of this state that offers one or more virtual education courses approved by the Department and provides part-time virtual education for any student;
(j) 'Program' means one or more virtual education courses;
(k) 'Synchronous' means instruction delivered by the virtual education teacher and received by the student concurrent in time;
(l) 'Virtual education' means instruction of one or more Department-approved courses administered primarily through technology outside of the physical classroom, in the statewide educational program prescribed by W.S. 21-9-101 and 21-9-102 and accredited by the State Board under W.S. 21-2-304(a)(ii), and which may be distinguished from other types of courses in that the physical separation of the virtual education teacher and student(s) substantially limits or even prohibits the teacher from providing a preponderance of course instruction in-person;
(m) 'Virtual education teacher' means the instructor of a Department-approved virtual education course who, regardless of whether the instructor is an employee of a school district established pursuant to the laws of this state, shall meet the certification or permit requirements of W.S. 21-7-303(a). In addition to providing instruction primarily through technology outside of the physical classroom, the teacher shall have duties that generally include facilitating student learning, monitoring student progress, providing and grading assignments, and providing qualitative feedback, all of which can and generally are provided through technology;
(n) 'Wyoming virtual education program' means a network of Department-approved virtual education programs and courses that meet state-established guidelines for course content and delivery.
(a) The Department shall annually review and approve full-time and part-time virtual education programs, and the specific courses to be offered, which together shall constitute the Wyoming virtual education program.
(b) A district must seek approval to operate as a full-time virtual education provider, a part-time virtual education provider, or both a full- and part-time virtual education provider, regardless of whether the district intends to offer virtual education courses to students enrolled within the district or to students enrolled in other Wyoming districts, or both.
(c) Unless offering one or more virtual education courses as part of its educational program, a district is not required to seek approval to operate as a virtual education provider if one or more students enrolled in the district is concurrently enrolled with a district that is an approved virtual education provider.
(d) Subject to the requirements established in this rule, as well as other applicable state and local laws and regulations, a district that seeks approval as a full- or part-time virtual education program provider may do so with the intent to offer one or more virtual education courses of the following types:
(i) A course that meets the definition of virtual education pursuant to Section 2(l) of this rule and that is designed and delivered by the district utilizing a virtual education teacher employed by the district to provide course instruction;
(ii) A course that meets the definition of virtual education pursuant to Section 2(l) of this rule and that is procured from a vendor, which may be taught by a virtual education teacher provided by the vendor, and which may be a vendor operating in-state or out-of-state, or a Wyoming post-secondary institution;
(iii) A combination of district- and vendor-provided courses as described in paragraphs (i) and (ii) above.
(e) Prospective virtual education program providers shall submit a letter of intent to the Department applying for inclusion in the Wyoming virtual education program and to be considered for the succeeding school year. The letter of intent shall provide:
(i) Information on the district’s intention to operate as a full-time virtual education provider, a part-time virtual education provider, or both a full- and part-time virtual education provider;
(ii) Information on the district’s intention to limit student participation in its full- and/or part-time virtual education program to only students already enrolled in the district or to also make participation available to students enrolled in other Wyoming districts;
(iii) A virtual education program overview that describes general information such as the program’s title, administrative contacts, method(s) of delivery, maximum allowed student to teacher ratios and instructor’s course load, and proposed course offerings and capacity;
(iv) A signed assurance statement maintaining that the letter of intent has been approved by the local board and the district possesses the necessary financial, personnel, and technical infrastructure capacity to effectively operate the proposed virtual education program and meet all state and federal requirements; and
(v) A signed curriculum assurance and a copy of the student and parent handbook if the district intends to operate as a full-time virtual education provider.
(f) The Department will all review letters of intent submitted for consideration and approve only those from districts:
(i) That have accreditation level “accredited” or “accredited with support” for less than one year as determined by the State Board pursuant to W.S. 21-2-304(a)(ii) and Chapter 6 of the Department’s rules;
(ii) For which there is no evidence bringing into question the district’s assurance that it possesses the necessary financial, personnel, and technical infrastructure to effectively operate the proposed virtual education program;
(iii) That are able to meet all state and federal requirements including the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act and Rehabilitation Act of 1973 section 504 requirements; and
(iv) That, if currently operating a virtual education program, demonstrates quality outcomes based on the measures articulated in Section 6(a) of this chapter.
(g) The Department may request additional information and may recommend that a district make changes to its letter of intent. If a letter of intent is denied, the district may re-submit its letter and attach new or additional information or otherwise revise the letter.
(h) After the approval of the letter of intent, the prospective virtual education program provider shall submit a program application created from Department-approved templates and in accordance with any virtual education program guidelines published by the Department. The application shall provide:
(i) A course evaluation narrative that describes:
(A) The method(s) of course procurement, if applicable; and
(B) Procedures for course evaluation.
(ii) A student accountability narrative that details:
(A) The enrollment requirements of the student, with information on the enrollment of students within the district and students enrolled by other districts as applicable;
(B) A description of pre-enrollment consultation requirements, to include:
(I) A process to verify that the virtual education course(s) is appropriate to the learning capabilities of the individual student; and
(II) Required virtual education training, simulations, readiness surveys, or experience prior to the start of class(es);
(C) For any course that is offered through a part-time, or a full-time virtual education provider in a brick and mortar setting, whether offered by a district to its own students or offered by another district, the anticipated roles and duties of the school in which the student has primary enrollment, which shall include the district’s assignment of a learning coach to assist the student, and monitor student progress throughout the duration of the virtual education course(s), assist with data collection and reporting, and communicate with the student’s parent or legal guardian as appropriate;
(D) For any course that is offered through a full-time virtual education provider outside of a brick and mortar setting, the requirements and specific duties to be assigned to a family-designated learning coach, which shall include regular monitoring of student progress, ensuring that any necessary instructional support is provided, assisting with tracking and reporting student participation in virtual education, and other appropriate duties as may be assigned by the provider; and
(E) An intervention plan to assist any student not performing satisfactorily or failing to achieve required progress.
(iii) A virtual education teacher accountability narrative that details:
(A) The professional development opportunities available to a virtual education teacher, to include:
(I) Pre-service components which shall be required of all instructors that possess no previous experience teaching within the virtual education medium of their currently assigned course(s). These pre-service components shall be completed prior to the beginning date of the course(s) assigned to that instructor; and
(II) Ongoing components of the professional development process required of all virtual education instructors, such as, training and resources, available support materials, coaching or mentoring systems, and other professional learning communities;
(B) Continual evaluation process of the professional development program(s) that ensure the continuous improvement of the program(s) quality and overall value; and
(C) Instructor performance expectations and methods of evaluation to determine and, if necessary, improve the critical aspects of virtual education pedagogy.
(iv) A learning coach technical assistance and development narrative that describes the support, technical assistance, and professional development that the provider will make available to district-assigned learning coaches, family-designated learning coaches, or both.
(i) The Department may require necessary corrections or improvements before final approval of the program application.
(j) After the approval of the program application, the virtual education program provider shall provide a course syllabus containing the following elements through the Department course inventory data collection:
(i) The course title, suggested grade level(s), subject area, course calendar outlining any synchronous requirements, and course delivery method;
(ii) A course description that outlines the topics, objectives, and other mandatory benchmarks presented throughout the coursework;
(iii) Course participation requirements that define the expectations for the interaction of any student enrolled in the course with the virtual education course, and that are measurable, recorded, and verified by the virtual education teacher;
(iv) A description of what a participating student must do to complete the course, including, if permitted, completion prior to the end of the term;
(v) The measurable participation elements that are required in order to successfully complete the course, which include attendance and a description of the party(ies) having primary responsibility for data collection and reporting; and
(vi) The tuition for the course if it is available for single course purchase.
(k) Approval of each course shall be determined by the Department based on the information described above and any other information that it requests. Necessary corrections or improvements may be required before final approval.
(l) Any entity that develops a virtual education course to be sold, licensed, or otherwise made available to a Wyoming virtual education provider shall provide the district that is the virtual education provider with any information required by the district, including assurances and evidence that:
(i) The provider is accredited by an appropriate accrediting entity;
(ii) The provider will comply with all Federal, state, and local requirements regarding data collection, student data privacy, and data security;
(iii) The course is aligned with the state content and performance standards;
(iv) The course instructor meets all requirements established in statute and this rule for a virtual education teacher; and
(v) Any administrator, tutor, or staff who may have access to any Wyoming virtual education student that is a minor has been required to submit fingerprinting to the provider for the purpose of obtaining state or national criminal history record information before assuming any role related to a Wyoming virtual education course.
(a) Any full- or part-time virtual education program provider shall update the virtual education course calendar information and verify the accuracy of all other course components each year in accordance with the virtual education program update schedule established by the Department. Updates to course participation requirements will not be accepted for active virtual education courses that have students currently enrolled.
(b) Any virtual education program provider may request to remove any course offering or its entire program from the virtual education program catalog provided that none of the courses are active virtual education courses and the Department is immediately notified.
(c) Any virtual education program provider may update any component of its virtual education program application and submit it for evaluation.
(d) The Department shall remove any virtual education program provider from the Wyoming virtual education program if it loses accreditation or fails to comply with the policies outlined in these rules.
(a) Any student participating in one or more part-time virtual education courses shall remain enrolled in the district in which the student resides. This enrollment shall be considered primary enrollment as distinguished from any other enrollment arrangements. Unless specified as concurrent enrollment, the use of the term enrollment in this section means primary enrollment.
(b) After confirming the intention of the student to participate in any virtual education course(s) approved by the Department and offered by another Wyoming district that is an approved full- or part-time virtual education provider, the district shall have not more than five (5) business days to verify concurrent enrollment of the student with the full- or part-time virtual education provider and to enter into an agreement, as described in Section 9 of this rule, with the virtual education provider. Prior to completion of concurrent enrollment, a part-time virtual education provider shall be prohibited from collecting information from a prospective virtual education student without the consent of the district in which the student is enrolled.
(c) Any student, with the consent of a parent or legal guardian if required, who participates in a full-time virtual education program offered by a district that is not the district in which the student resides may elect to no longer be enrolled in the district in which the student resides.
(i) If a student elects to enroll in the district that is offering the full-time virtual education program, the district in which the student resides shall:
(A) Confirm the intention of the student to enroll in a Department-approved full-time virtual education program;
(B) Withdraw the student from the district; and
(C) Confirm enrollment by the district that is the full-time virtual education provider within ten (10) business days.
(ii) The full-time virtual education provider shall formally document the student transfer and the request of student records by sending written notification to the district in which the student was previously enrolled; and
(iii) The two districts may enter into an agreement, as described in Section 9 of this rule, for any services or courses that are to be provided to the student by the district in which the student resides.
(d) Upon withdrawal of any student from a part-time virtual education course, whether withdrawal is initiated by the student or the district that is the course provider, the provider shall provide written notice to the district in which the student is enrolled within five (5) business days and the two districts shall work together to enroll the student in another course, which may be a virtual education course, if such enrollment is necessary to fulfill the statewide educational program required by W.S. 21-9-101 and 21-9-102. If the student is enrolled in a different virtual education course, a new course and services agreement shall be entered into between the districts in accordance with Section 9 of this rule.
(e) Upon withdrawal of any student from a full-time virtual education course or program, whether withdrawal is initiated by the student or the district that is the virtual education provider, the provider shall notify the district in which the student resides within five (5) business days and the two districts shall work together to enroll the student in another course, which may be a virtual education course, if such enrollment is necessary to fulfill the statewide educational program required by W.S. 21-9-101 and 21-9-102. If the student withdraws or is withdrawn from one or more virtual education course and elects to participate in a part-time virtual education program, the district in which the student resides shall enroll the student and establish concurrent enrollment with the part-time virtual education provider as required in paragraph (a) of this section.
(f) Any part-time virtual education provider and the district in which the student is enrolled shall agree on and clearly outline a process for sharing information on the student's progress, participation, and any changes in enrollment.
(g) Department data collection policies shall be used to document all student enrollments into a virtual education program.
(h) As outlined in Section 9 of these rules, a course and services agreement shall be entered into between any district which enrolls a student participating in one or more virtual education courses offered by another district and the district that is the full- or part-time virtual education provider or any student enrolled in a full-time virtual education program who participates in one or more part-time brick and mortar courses offered by another district.
(i) A district may allow a student who resides outside of the state of Wyoming with a custodial parent or guardian in active military service to enroll or continue enrollment in a Department-approved virtual education program provided that:
(i) The student's custodial parent or guardian maintains Wyoming residency while on active military service outside of the state of Wyoming. The parent or guardian shall submit a military leave and earnings statement to the district as evidence of Wyoming residency and active service each year to verify compliance with this requirement; and
(ii) The student is able to comply with course-specific participation requirements and participate in all required state and district assessments in adherence with Department regulations, guidance, and instructions. The district may apply for an exemption from participation in a state assessment on behalf of a student if the district determines it is not feasible for the student to return to Wyoming for test administration.
(j) A student enrolled in a Department-approved full-time virtual education program who resides in the district providing the program shall be assigned to the grade-level school the student would attend in person. Districts may only assign students to an alternative school if the student has educational needs that are not appropriately met by other schools in the district. Each student assigned to an alternative school shall receive learning supports and interventions according to its at-risk program as developed pursuant to W.S. 21-13-309(m)(v)(B)(IV).
(k) When the district verifies Wyoming residency, all students enrolled in a Department-approved full-time virtual education program who do not reside in the district providing the program shall be assigned to one grade-level appropriate school within the district. The district shall maintain assignment in the same school each year until the student withdraws from the program or promotes to a grade level not served by the school. Districts may only assign students to an alternative school if the student has educational needs that are not appropriately met by other schools in the district. Each student assigned to an alternative school shall receive learning supports and interventions according to its at-risk program as developed pursuant to W.S. 21-13-309(m)(v)(B)(IV).
(l) All full-time virtual education student transcripts and diplomas shall be identical to transcripts and diplomas for all other students attending the schools to which the full-time virtual education students are enrolled and assigned pursuant to W.S. 21-13-330(g)(ii).
(m) Any student participating in virtual education shall be supported by learning coaches as follows:
(i) The district or school the student is primarily enrolled in but that is not providing virtual education shall assign a district-assigned learning coach to monitor that student’s progress in virtual education, coordinate any instructional support needed at the request of the virtual education teacher, assist with data collection and reporting, and communicate with the student’s parent or legal guardian as appropriate in order to facilitate the student’s successful participation in virtual education.
(ii) If the student is participating from home, a parent shall assign or serve as a family-designated learning coach to be the point of contact for the virtual education teacher and virtual education provider for purposes of monitoring student progress, ensuring that any necessary instructional support is provided, assisting with tracking and reporting student participation in virtual education, and other appropriate duties as may be assigned by the virtual education provider.
(a) The Department shall maintain, facilitate, and monitor the Wyoming virtual education program quality and compliance. Monitoring activities shall include:
(i) Reviewing, at least annually, virtual education program and course data and information collected;
(ii) Using data and information on full-time virtual education students with disaggregation of assessment data, graduation rates, and other measures of academic performance, in the statewide systems of accountability and accreditation;
(iii) In consultation with the Professional Teaching Standards Board and school districts, reviewing of data on adherence to the minimum professional development requirements provided for in Section 7 by teachers using virtual education methods to instruct students; and
(iv) Providing the annual virtual program survey results under Section 8 of these rules to districts with recommendations for improvement.
(b) The Department shall annually publish on its web site a virtual education program course catalog containing course-specific information including the per-course tuition established by the school district that has been approved to offer the course.
(c) The Department shall provide training and technical assistance to school districts, including professional development for teachers and school administrators as required under W.S. 21-2-202(a)(xxxii)(B), for the delivery, review, and research of virtual education programming available through the virtual education program.
(d) The Department shall provide training and technical assistance, which shall include current information and research regarding student and course accountability, and professional development for teachers and school administrators on virtual education pedagogy, and course delivery methods.
(e) The Department shall provide a point-of-contact to track and monitor complaints, whereby concerned individuals, school or district personnel can receive needed assistance in resolving any issues resulting from the delivery of virtual education courses.
(f) The Department shall maintain a list of virtual education coordinators who shall assist with monitoring virtual education programs within the district and with the collection of data among districts, in addition to responsibilities that may be designated by the district. Every district shall designate a virtual education coordinator as required by the Department.
(a) Any virtual education course provided by a school district established pursuant to the laws of this state shall have a designated instructor who shall be the virtual education teacher for the course and who must meet the requirements of W.S. 21-7-303.
(b) Any district offering a virtual education program shall require any teacher assigned to teach an active virtual education course to:
(i) Complete, on an annual basis, at least one (1) workshop focused primarily on using virtual education methods to instruct students; or
(ii) Have a virtual educator endorsement issued by the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board.
(c) Any workshop used to satisfy the workshop requirement in subsection (b)(i) of this section shall be at least seven (7) hours or the equivalent. For any virtual education teacher subject to the requirements of W.S. 21-7-303(a), the workshop used to satisfy this requirement shall be approved by the Wyoming Professional Teacher Standards Board.
(d) The Department shall annually monitor district adherence to the minimum requirements for teacher professional development and shall obtain from the Professional Teaching Standards Board and the district, as necessary, information on teacher participation in required workshops.
(a) Any district that is a virtual education provider shall use a learning management system (LMS) to administer, document, track, report, and deliver virtual education courses.
(b) Any district that is a virtual education provider shall have the option of utilizing a centralized learning management system established by the Department. A district may instead elect to establish an individual or independent learning management system provided such system is capable of being used, and is used with regard to each active virtual education course, to administer, document, track, report, and deliver virtual education courses. Any individual or independent learning management system must also be designed and operated such that appropriate personnel from the district in which any student participating in any virtual education course is enrolled are able to utilize the virtual education program provider's learning management system to monitor student progress and participation and to collect participation data, as needed, for purposes of state-required reporting.
(c) Providers delivering virtual education courses shall collect in a learning management system student participation and completion rates based on the course-specific participation requirements approved by the Department, including equivalent attendance, as specified in Section 10 of this chapter. The provider shall collect this information in a learning management system and record and maintain it in the district's permanent student information system or other Department-approved reporting system.
(d) A district electing to use a Department-approved reporting system in lieu of a district's permanent student information system for purposes of collecting the information described in subsection (c) of this section, shall ensure that its reporting system includes all elements needed to satisfy Department-required data collections and enables compliance with all Federal, State, and local requirements regarding data collection, student data privacy, and data security.
(e) Data collection is ultimately the responsibility of the virtual education provider and each virtual education teacher who is the instructor of an active virtual education course.
(i) A part-time virtual education provider shall enable the district in which any virtual education student is enrolled to access the provider's LMS and shall establish through a course and services agreement any data or information that the district-assigned learning coach is responsible for recording. A district-assigned learning coach may delegate data collection and reporting to another district employee as appropriate.
(ii) A full-time virtual education provider shall enable the family-designated learning coach of any student enrolled in an active virtual education course to access the provider's LMS for purposes of recording student participation in the course and monitoring student progress.
(f) The Department shall:
(i) Monitor student virtual education enrollment and participation information;
(ii) Annually survey district superintendents concerning their virtual education learning needs and instructional availability;
(iii) Annually survey the virtual education program providers' administrators, instructors, and students or parents concerning the quality and effectiveness of programming available through the Wyoming virtual education program;
(iv) Compile Department survey results and data on enrollment and participation; and
(v) Provide a summary of virtual education course(s) available through the Wyoming virtual education program.
(a) Any two districts established pursuant to the laws of this state may enter into a course and services agreement to allow pupils enrolled in one district to receive a portion of the pupil's education from another district. Any such agreement may provide for a pupil's participation in one or more active virtual education courses, one or more traditional (non- virtual) courses, or any combination of virtual and non-virtual courses.
(b) Any such agreement shall be in effect for a period of not more than twelve (12) consecutive months and have a start and end date that generally correspond to the school calendar, and shall include the following, as applicable:
(i) The identification of each district’s point-of-contact to include first and last name, position/title, and contact information;
(ii) For each course, the cost to be paid, on a per-course basis and in an amount equal to or less than the ADM amount of the district providing the course prorated to reflect the number of courses provided;
(iii) Information on how the tuition amount is calculated, the method of payment to be utilized, and payment due date(s);
(iv) The responsibilities of each district for ensuring that each student has access to the appropriate electronic equipment, connectivity, and resources needed to participate in any virtual education course(s);
(v) A description of the process that will be used to ensure that the district in which the student is enrolled has access to the appropriate records and resources needed to monitor a student’s participation, including participation in any virtual education course(s), as well as access to the provider’s LMS for purposes of data reporting;
(vi) A description of the educational support provided to the student(s) by the district in which the student is enrolled. This may include, but is not limited to:
(A) The access of resources at the district in which the student is enrolled;
(B) Required tutoring and/or mentoring services;
(C) Testing and assessment services to include a timeline or schedule appropriate to the instruction provided to the student(s);
(D) Academic counseling services;
(E) Library services;
(F) Extracurricular activities; and
(G) Special needs requirements.
(vii) If the agreement is for one or more virtual education courses and the district in which the student is enrolled does not have a qualified virtual education site coordinator, the course and services agreement shall include:
(A) A description of the training required of the district's staff; (B) Which district staff should attend the training; (C) How the training will be provided; and (D) When the training should be completed.
(viii) If the agreement is for one or more virtual education courses, a description of any training required of the student(s), how this training will be provided, and when it should be completed;
(ix) A statement ensuring that all records of the student(s) will be provided by the district in which the student is enrolled including any records of special education;
(x) A conflict resolution policy; and
(xi) The signatures of each district's superintendent or designee, in accordance with district policies.
(c) Any agreement shall be made in writing and a copy kept on file by both districts for a period of not less than five (5) years.
(d) The district in which the student is enrolled, in collaboration with the virtual education program provider(s), shall regularly monitor the progress of any virtual education course participant to ensure the student is actively engaged and completing the required course participation elements and to ensure that the needs of all virtual education students, including those identified as gifted and talented, at-risk, or students with disabilities, are met.
(e) The district in which the student is enrolled shall ensure that any student participating in a virtual education program is evaluated, tested, and monitored at the same intervals as other students in the grade in which the student is assigned and in accordance with the assessment policies of the state and district.
(f) Any district that is a full- or part-time virtual education provider shall ensure that any teacher instructing a virtual education course offered by the district meets the minimum requirements for virtual education teachers provided for in Section 7 of this rule.
(g) The district providing for the enrollment of the student shall include the student within its average daily membership (ADM) and the district providing a portion of the student's education will assess tuition to be paid by the district of enrollment. Tuition shall be calculated on a per- course basis equal to or less than the ADM amount of the district providing the course prorated for the number of courses provided.
(a) Each virtual education course approved by the Department shall have clearly defined participation requirements for any student enrolled in the course.
(b) Districts shall establish measurable course participation requirements for students enrolled in each virtual education course. The virtual education teacher shall measure, record, and verify student participation.
(c) Districts shall convert student participation to attendance for funding purposes.
(d) Any district that is a virtual education provider shall:
(i) Document and record, in the program’s learning management system used by the district, not less than once every seven (7) calendar days, the participation of any student enrolled in the course; and
(ii) Document and record, for each student enrolled in the course, the student’s attendance equivalent, including absences, in the district’s permanent student information system or Department-approved system.
(e) Any student who does not meet attendance equivalence for any virtual courses for ten (10) consecutive days shall be deemed absent for ten (10) consecutive days for the purposes of Chapter 8, Section 8(b)(ii) of the Department’s rules.
(f) For each course, the number of days any student is reported as having participated shall be based on the course-specific virtual education program calendar submitted to the Department.
(g) At the end of each school year, for purposes of determining membership, the number of days on which a student was enrolled and participating in virtual education shall be the number of days in membership and must be converted to the number of days in the school calendar if different than the virtual program days. The number of days in membership shall be divided by the number of regularly scheduled courses in the school in which the student is enrolled. The sum shall be the aggregate membership.
(h) The district shall compile and retain records generated by a learning management system showing student participation in any virtual education course offered by the district. The records shall include a report generated by a learning management system to include automatically recorded and virtual education teacher recorded elements. The participation report shall be generated at the administrative level and stored for future audit and monitoring purposes.
(a) Students enrolled in virtual education course(s) shall not be exempt from state or district assessments.
(b) Each student participating in a virtual education course(s) shall be subject to the
Wyoming statewide assessments as required by W.S. 21-2-304(a)(v); and the assessment shall be administered and monitored by a state-trained assessment administrator.
(c) Student performance, accountability, state and district assessment results, and accountability as required by W.S. 21-2-204 shall be the responsibility of the district in which the student is enrolled.
(d) In the event a student enrolled in a district elects to participate in more than one part-time virtual education programs, and through the combination of such programs receives more than fifty percent (50%) of the required statewide educational program as prescribed by W.S. 21-9-101 and 21-9-102, the district in which the student is enrolled retains the responsibility for administering all required assessments. However, since no virtual education program provider is providing the student with a full-time virtual education program, student performance on assessments is not required to be disaggregated and reported as part of a virtual education subgroup.
(a) Temporary virtual education days are days in face-to-face classes in which a district is delivering the educational program outside the physical classroom to a student, or students. Temporary virtual learning days must be less than fifty (50) percent of the total number of school days.
(b) Each school district board that provides temporary virtual education days shall develop policy that includes the following:
(i) The criteria for allowing or requiring temporary virtual education days for individual students or for school buildings;
(ii) A description of temporary virtual education for elementary, middle, and high school, including how teachers will provide instruction, and the required devices, platforms, software, and internet access;
(iii) The definition of attendance for temporary virtual education at the elementary, middle, and high school levels and a description of how teachers shall take attendance;
(iv) The procedures the district will use to ensure temporary virtual education days do not exceed fifty (50) percent of the total school days for any student;
(v) A description of how the district will monitor the quality of instructional delivery through temporary virtual education compared to that provided in person for elementary, middle, and high school; and
(vi) The process the district will use to notify students and parents when temporary virtual education will occur whether planned or unplanned.
(c) Each school district shall submit the temporary virtual education board policy to the Department for review and approval as part of annual accreditation requirements.
(d) The temporary virtual education policy shall be made available to parents and students.
(e) Attendance taken in temporary virtual education for any given day or class period shall be recorded in the district’s permanent student information system no later than the start of the next school day.