Wyo. Code R. 206-0002-6
General Agency, Board or Commission Rules
Chapter 6: School Accreditation
Effective Date: 05/09/2001 to 08/05/2005
Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 206.0002.6.05092001
SCHOOL ACCREDITATION
Section 1. Authority. These rules and regulations are promulgated pursuant to the Wyoming Education Code of 1969(as amended-1999)(W.S. 21-2-304 (a)(i) and (ii)).
Section 2. Applicability. These rules and regulations pertain to the evaluation and accreditation of public schools (K-12). With these rules and regulations, it is the intention of this agency to establish minimum standards with which public schools (K-12) must comply.
Section 3. Promulgation, Amendment, or Repeal of Rules. Any amendments to these rules shall become effective as provided by the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act. (W.S. 16-3-101 through 16-3-115).
Section 4. Definitions.
(a) Accreditation. A process by which each school district and each school within the district assesses itself and is monitored by the state in order to identify strengths, plan and implement improvement, assure legal compliance and assure the public that districts are providing educational programs sufficient to enable students to demonstrate proficiency in state and locally determined content and performance standards. (W.S.21-2-304 (a)(ii)and W.S.21-9-101(b)).
(b) At-Risk Students. School age individuals who exhibit behaviors that place the student at risk of experiencing educational failure. (W.S.21-2-202 (a)(xviii)and(xix),and W.S.21-9-101(c)).
(c) Benchmark standard. A statement of skills and knowledge to be demonstrated at the end of a specified range of grades. For example, benchmark content standards may be set at the end of grade 4, grade 8 and grade 11 as they are for Wyoming State Standards. Benchmarks are used as checkpoints to monitor progress along a continuum of grades from kindergarten through grade 12.
(d) Common Core of Knowledge. Areas of knowledge each student is expected to achieve at levels established by the district standards aligned to state standards. (W.S. 21-2-304 (a)(iii)).
(e) Common Core of Skills. Skills each student is expected to demonstrate at levels established by the district standards aligned to state standards. These skills may be integrated into the Common Core of Knowledge standards. (W.S. 21-2-304 (a)(iii)).
(f) Compliance. Documenting that the district adheres to applicable statutes and regulations.
(g) Fixed Costs. Costs that are essential to the operation of the school and district facilities that cannot be reduced or eliminated, and over which districts have limited control. These include utility costs and essential facilities repairs. They may also include repairs and construction required by law and safety regulations. (W.S.21-15-107).
(h) Guidance Services. Services which include the following major functions:
(i) Counseling individual and small groups of students. Diagnostic testing results along with other pertinent information may be used as aides in the counseling process.
(ii) Consultation with school staff and with parents about the general welfare of students as individuals in the classroom and in the total school environment.
(iii) Coordination of guidance services within, between, and among schools, between school and community, and between school and referral agencies in the community.
(i) Health Services. An organized program provided by qualified personnel to: identify potential and existing health problems among students; provide injury and illness prevention services and emergency care; provide procedures for referral to other health care providers and community agencies; protect confidentiality of all health information; provide for the safe handling, storage and administration of both prescription and over the counter medications; and promote the health and well being of all students.
(j) Media Services. An organized program to provide all students with access to resources which include all print, non-print and electronic information and educational resource materials which aid in supporting the teaching-learning process.
(k) Student Content Standard. A statement that specifies what students must know and be able to do in the areas identified by the Common Core of Knowledge and the Common Core of Skills.
(l) Student Performance Standard. A definition of how good is good enough to constitute a proficient performance on a set of content standards. This definition may include the following components:
(i) Performance levels. Labels for each level of achievement.
(ii) Performance descriptors. Describes performance at each level.
(iii) Sample student work. Examples of student work from a representative sample of all students that illustrate the full range of performance at each performance level.
(iv) Cut scores. Demarcation between adjacent levels of performance.
(m) Parent, Student and Local Community Involvement. The participation by parents, local community, and students, when appropriate, in helping to support the development and implementation of student content and performance standards and school improvement goals.
(n) Program. Any or all of the district-sponsored or district-supported educational opportunities for students, either within or beyond the school day. (W.S.21-3-110(a)(xv)).
(o) Public School. An entity created or chartered by a local district board which provides education free of charge to students ages 5 to 21. (W.S.21-13-101 and W.S.21-4-301).
(p) Public School District. A governmental subdivision whose function is to provide for the education of persons in grades K-12 (or as otherwise legally authorized) in a geographic area defined by the Wyoming State Committee on School District Organization. (W.S.21-13-101).
(q) Reliable Measure. An assessment from which similar scores are obtained when the same procedure is used with the same students on different occasions, on different tasks measuring the same skill, and from different independent assessors.
(r) Staff Development. A process involving evaluation, identification of needs, and planned activities for individuals, schools and the entire district designed to improve those elements of professional knowledge and skills that affect student learning. The process includes:
(i) Evaluation of staff development needs. The determination of staff development needs through a needs assessment, school improvement plans and teacher evaluations. (W.S.21-3-110)
(ii) Planned activities. Related staff development opportunities for initial study and direct instruction, follow-up training, and in-class practice with administrative support and feedback.
(iii) Monitoring of results. The examination of in-class practice and student learning results as identified by school improvement plans to determine the impact of staff development.
(s) Valid Measure. An assessment that is a relevant and representative sample of the content area being measured. This determination includes the adequacy and appropriateness of the interpretation that is to be made from the assessment results.
Section 5. Wyoming Statutes. All public school districts, and the schools and personnel within those districts, must comply with the applicable statutes of the State of Wyoming.
Section 6. Wyoming State Board of Education Policies and Regulations. All public school districts, and the schools and personnel within those districts, must comply with applicable Wyoming State Board rules. (W.S.21-2-304).
Section 7. Student Standards. All public school students shall meet the student content and performance standards at the level set by the school district aligned to state standards for:
(a) Common Core of Knowledge, emphasizing reading, writing and mathematics in grades one(1) through eight(8): (W.S.21-9-101).
(b) Common Core of Skills. (W.S.21-9-101).
(c) The district shall involve parents, community, and professional staff in developing student content and performance standards in the common core of knowledge and skills through an officially adopted planning process reinforced by board of trustee policies. Districts may choose to adopt state standards using the board of trustees' official process that includes involving parents, community, and professional staff. (W.S.21-9-101(b)).
(d) The district shall implement programs which will align to state standards and meet or exceed the requirements of those standards. Programs shall include:
(i) Planned strategies for intervening with students who fail to demonstrate proficiency on standards; and
(ii) Planned strategies for academically challenging students who consistently exceed standards.
(e) The district shall adopt and implement strategies to monitor the teaching of standards. (W.S.21-3-110(a)(xvii),(xviii), and (xix)).
(a) The district shall ensure that all students in fourth, eighth, and eleventh grades participate in the Wyoming Comprehensive Assessment System (WyCAS) in one of three ways (W.S.21-2-304(a)(v)):
(i) In the general assessment with no accommodations;
(ii) In the general assessment with appropriate accommodations; or
(iii) In the WyCAS-Alternate Assessment.
(b) The district shall design and implement a district assessment system to measure student performance relative to district content and performance standards aligned to state standards. At a minimum, the district assessment system shall be designed to determine whether all students have had equality of educational opportunity to learn the content and skills represented in the standards and to the level established by the performance standards. This assessment system shall be designed in accordance with standards of professional technical quality and be capable of generating results for all identifiable subgroups within the district (W.S.21-2-304(a)(iv)).
(i) In order to evaluate equality of educational opportunity, the assessment system shall be implemented uniformly across the district.
(ii) Among other measures, the district shall incorporate the Wyoming Comprehensive Assessment System into its district assessment system by using WyCAS results to measure the Wyoming Content and Performance Standards in mathematics, reading, and writing for fourth, eighth, and eleventh grade students.
(iii) The system shall be designed and implemented so that inferences pertaining to equality of educational opportunity can be supported by the assessment system. The system shall be designed to meet the following technical requirements, all of which contribute to documenting the validity of the overall district assessment system.
(A) Alignment-the combination of assessments that comprise the system shall be aligned with district content and performance standards so that the full set of standards in the common core of knowledge and skills, both in terms of content and cognitive complexity are assessed. The assessment system shall reflect how the district has prioritized the standards.
(B) Consistency-the assessment system should be designed and implemented in such a way so that inferences drawn from the results of the assessments are consistent and not dependent on error due to raters or the quality of the assessments. While the focus is on the system, In order to meet this requirement, individual assessments within the system will need to be designed to yield consistent results, in terms of error due to raters, tasks, administration conditions, and occasions.
(C) Fairness-the assessment system should be designed so that it is not biased against any group of students. As such, appropriate accommodations should be used so students with disabilities and Limited English Proficient students have fair access to the assessment system. As stated in Section 8(iii)(a)(A)(i) herein, multiple assessment formats should be employed in the assessment system which will contribute to improving the fairness of the system.
(D) In order to improve alignment, consistency, and fairness, multiple measures in each of the common core of knowledge and skill areas, but not necessarily at every grade level, shall be employed in the system.
(E) Descriptions of what constitutes proficient performance shall be clearly articulated and shall be correlated with the performance descriptors found in the Wyoming Content and Performance Standards. The cutscores that delineate the various performance levels on each assessment shall be tied to these district performance descriptors and shall be based on research or best practices.
(c) The district shall have a board-approved process in which student performance results are identified, monitored, and reported (W.S.21-2-202(a)(xiv)and W.S.21-2-304(a)(v)).
(i) The district shall distribute the Uniform State Report widely to its patrons in addition to other results from the district's assessment system as deemed appropriate by the district.
(ii) The district shall report the results of the district assessment system to the Wyoming Department of Education. Disaggregated results shall be reported for any of the following subgroups that include 10 or more students: gender, ethnicity, economic status, mobility indicators, disability status, and other appropriate for the given locale. These disaggregated results shall be used to determine if all groups of students have been provided adequate opportunities to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for meeting the graduation standards.
(d) In order for the State Board of Education to accredit school districts, each district will submit to the Wyoming Department of Education the following information at least 45 days prior to its scheduled accreditation visit:
(i) The district assessment plan that indicates the specific grade/course levels assessed, the types of assessments, the specific standards assessed, and a brief description of the assessments;
(ii) Evidence of alignment among the standards, benchmarks, and assessments;
(iii) Evidence of consistency of the assessment system;
Section 9. School Improvement. The district shall monitor school improvement planning of its schools and coordinate activities in support of implementing these plans. (W.S.21-2-304(a)(v)). This process shall include:
Section 10. Staff Development. The district shall demonstrate that staff development relates to student performance.(W.S.21-2-202(a)(xx), W.S.21-2-304(a)(ii), W.S.21-2-304(a)(v), W.S.21-3-110(a)(xix), W.S.21-9-101(b), and W.S.21-9-101(c)). Staff development shall focus on:
Section 11. Parent and Community Involvement. The district shall have procedures for involving school personnel, parents and community in decision-making.(W.S.21-2-202(a)(ii)). Procedures shall include:
Section 12. At-Risk Students. The district shall have policies and procedures for every school in the district to identify and intervene with at-risk students. In addition, all schools shall provide instruction as appropriate through the school curriculum directed at the prevention of at-risk behavior. (W.S.21-2-202 (a)(xix), W.S.21-2-304(a)(ii) and W.S.21-9-101(c)). These policies and procedures, at a minimum, shall include:
(a) Mechanisms for coordinating efforts across programs to maximize their effectiveness in preventing academic failure and for accessing the most appropriate program services for each student who exhibits behavior that places the child at risk for school failure. These mechanisms shall include:
(A) consists of at least two certified regular education teachers, at least one of which is the student's classroom teacher, and the school principal with other staff knowledgeable of at-risk programs and strategies acting as consultants to the committee according to the needs of the individual student.
(B) communicates with and includes, to the extent practical, parent(s) of the student discussed.
(C) documents proceedings and communications with parents, and the student's teacher(s), to the extent required by the programs under consideration.
(D) directs, evaluates, and documents the success or failure of the interventions to the extent required by the program for which a student is being considered, prior to making referrals for services outside the regular classroom. Title I student identification may occur with its own set of criteria.
(E) ensures all relevant routine screening procedures, especially hearing and vision, have been completed on a regular basis and results are current for the school year.
(b) rules for programs that address the needs of students with disabilities.
(c) provision of strategies for students who consistently fail to meet or who exceed standards including:
(i) expeditious referral of students to at risk programs.
(ii) oversight of efforts to increase access of students to corrective and enrichment instruction in addition to that routinely provided in the regular classroom.
(d) methods by which the district and schools monitor student learning results, based on student performance standards, for those groups who receive program services.
(e) procedures for the district in consultation with the schools to decide whether a program shall continue based upon those results.
Section 13. School Climate. The district shall adopt a procedure for assessing and reporting school climate on a regularly scheduled basis at least every three(3) years for school improvement planning purposes. The procedures shall include, at a minimum, assessment of students and staff at all grade levels, and of parents that include the following aspects of school climate:
(a) school mission and student learning;
(b) school safety;
(c) service provision;
(d) equity; and
(e) opportunity to learn.
Section 14. Facilities and Budget. The district shall adopt board of trustee policies that specify how state and district student performance standards have affected planning for facilities and annual budget priorities beyond fixed costs.
(a) The programs provided shall be sufficient for students to meet state and district content and performance standards. (W.S.21-9-101(b)). Provisions for these programs shall include:
(i) Provisions to implement educational technology per the district technology plan and as necessary for delivery of instruction in the standards. (W.S.21-9-101(b)(i)(M); (W.S.21-9-101(b)(iii)(C); and W.S.21-15-107(b)(iv)).
(ii) Textbooks, supplies and/or instructional materials deemed necessary by the district to deliver instruction on the standards. (W.S.21-9-201).
(iii) Class size, when practicable, of no more than twenty (20) students per teacher in kindergarten through grade three (3) excluding children with disabilities who spend more than fifty percent (50%) of their time outside of regular class instruction. (W.S.21-9-101(d) and (f)).
(b) The administration shall monitor building operations to assure all legal requirements, federal, state, and local, are met in each school.
Section 15. Technology. The district shall develop and implement a technology plan that follows the guidelines set forth in the statewide technology plan. (W.S. 21-2-202(a)(xx)). The plan will include:
(i) district policies and procedures for accessing, using and sharing technology and information available through technology;
(ii) a statement of the district’s vision and mission for the integration in the application of technology into teaching and learning.
(iii) strategies for the establishment of formal partnerships among public and private entities to ensure community participation in the creation and implementation of the plan.
(iv) clear objectives for the integration in and application of technology to the acquisition and performance of student standards.
(v) an implementation plan that sets actions and timelines for deployment of necessary fiscal and human resources.
(vi) professional development to ensure that staff is trained to use the technology to enhance instruction and improve student learning.
(vii) evaluation strategies for determining needs and assessing impact of technology on instruction and improvement efforts.
(viii) specific strategies for building and maintaining infrastructure and connectivity over time and provisions for sufficient budget to sustain each element of the plan.
Section 16. Graduation Requirements. A student, including an alternative school student, shall master the student content and performance standards aligned to state standards within the common cores of knowledge and skills at the levels set by the State Board of Education. Each student who demonstrates proficiency on the common core of knowledge and skills will be eligible for graduation per the requirements in Chapter 31 of these rules. The requirements as outlined in Chapter 31 shall be monitored and enforced through the state accreditation process. (W.S.21-2-304(a)(iii) and W.S.21-2-304(a)(iv)).
Section 17. Services. All districts shall provide support services. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit school districts and/or schools within a district from providing these support services through partnerships with community agencies. The support services provided for students shall include:
(a) Health/Safety Services. The district shall ensure that students are educated in a safe environment that meets all applicable building, health, safety and environmental codes and standards required by law for all public buildings. (W.S.21-15-107(a)(i)).
(i) The district shall provide an organized program provided by qualified personnel to:
(A) identify potential and existing health problems through routine health screening including:
(I) hearing screening for acuity and otological problems
(II) vision screening for acuity and color blindness.
(B) immediate and temporary care in case of injury.
(C) provide procedures for referral to other health care providers and community agencies.
(D) provide procedures for confidentiality of all health information.
(E) promote the health and well being of all students.
(F) provide for the safe handling, storage and administration of both prescription and over-the-counter medications.
(ii) The district ensures that procedures are in place to ensure the following:
(A) sanitation inspections for kitchens and serving areas are completed by the designated lawful authority and corrective actions required have been completed and documented;
(B) fire inspections for all buildings and corrective actions required have been completed and documented;
(C) ensure that eye protection is provided and used according to (W.S. 21-9-203A).
(D) policies, procedures and practices required by law for the safe operation of student transportation services are adopted and implemented.(W.S.21-3-131).
(iii) The district shall adopt and implement policies and procedures for managing exposure to common communicable diseases, exposure to blood borne pathogens, implementing Universal Precautions, and maintaining confidentiality of student and employee health information and records.
(iv) The district shall provide annual training to all school personnel concerning discrimination, confidentiality, and occupational exposure to blood borne pathogens. (29 CFR 1910, 1030).
(v) Policies and procedures are in place to ensure that potential crisis situations are addressed at both the district and building levels. Crisis management plans are developed and are practiced on a regular basis.
(b) Media Services. Districts shall ensure that media resources:
(i) are available and accessible to all students and staff;
(ii) are available in sufficient quantity and quality to support the achievement of student content and performance standards;
(iii) are sufficient to support the development of research and information accessing skills; and
(iv) provide enhanced access to information technology as described in the district’s technology plan and on the timeline specified by the plan.
(c) Guidance Services. The district shall ensure that students have access to guidance services which provide all students with assistance in developing and monitoring their educational and career plans through a structured, systematic individual planning system. Districts shall ensure that guidance services:
(i) provide access to responsive services to address issues and concerns that may affect their educational, vocational and career development;
(ii) provide assistance to students, beginning no later than eighth grade to develop educational and career plans, and includes assessment and advisement to set short-and long-term goals; and
(iii) provide information about and assistance in determining post secondary training opportunities.
Section 18. Verification. All public school districts and the schools and personnel within those districts shall provide verification of compliance with these rules and regulations to the Wyoming State Board of Education annually.
Section 19. Accreditation Status. All public school districts and schools within those districts shall be granted accreditation levels by the State Board of Education. (W.S.21-2-202(c), W.S.21-2-203(e)(ii), W.S.21-2-304(b)(ii), and W.S.21-2-305(a)(ii)).
(a) One of the following accreditation levels shall be granted by the State Board of Education on an annual basis:
(i) Full Accreditation. The local district and/or the schools within it have met the state accreditation standards in a fully satisfactory manner.
(ii) Accreditation With Follow-up. The local district and/or schools within it have failed to meet one or more of the standards, but the deficiency does not seriously distract from the quality of the school's educational program. Correctives are required but could reasonably be completed within a school year. The district has submitted an acceptable plan for taking corrective action indicating completion within a one-year timetable following the review year. Districts that complete all corrective actions by the end of the school year during which they are reviewed will be recommended for full accreditation upon Department verification of satisfactory completion.
(iii) Accreditation With Deficiencies. The local district and/or schools within it have failed to take corrective actions required and/or deficiencies persist over more than one year.
(iv) Conditional Accreditation. The local district and/or the schools within it have met the state accreditation standards in less than a fully satisfactory manner on half or more of the accreditation standards. Corrective actions cannot reasonably be completed within a school year.
(v) Non-Accreditation. The local district and/or the schools within it have not met the state accreditation standards. The State Board may attach penalties on an individual basis. The local district and/or the schools within it have:
(A) consistently failed to complete or make substantial progress towards completing corrective actions on the schedule proposed by the district and accepted by the State Board at the time of citing;
(B) consistently violated regulations; and/or
(C) consistently filed delinquent reports required by statute or regulation.
(vi) Emergency Change of Accreditation Status. If the local district and/or the schools within it violate State law and/or regulations which are detrimental to the health, welfare, or safety of students, and the conditions are not immediately corrected upon notice of their existence to local officials, the State Board may place the school district or school on Non-Accredited status until these conditions are corrected. Upon correction of these conditions and submission and approval of a plan to prevent a recurrence, the State Board may revise the district or school's accreditation status to Conditional for a period of time sufficient to verify implementation of the plan to prevent recurrences of the conditions.
(b) A school district may appeal a status of Non-Accreditation awarded it by the State Board of Education. A district may appeal for a reconsideration of that status to the State Board of Education within 30 days of the receipt of written notice of Non-Accreditation status.