Wyoming Department of Education seeks public comment on special assessment waiver

The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) is requesting public input on its plan to extend a federal waiver for alternate assessment participation rates. The waiver concerns the One Percent Participation rule for alternate English Language Arts (ELA), Math, and Science assessments.

Public comments can be submitted online or by mail until 11:59 p.m. on November 15. In addition, the WDE will hold virtual comment sessions via Zoom on October 13, October 15, and October 21. Each session will include an informational presentation followed by a period for collecting feedback.

According to Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as updated by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA), states must request a waiver from the U.S. Department of Education if they anticipate that more than one percent of students will participate in alternate assessments aligned with alternate academic achievement standards.

After analyzing participation data from the 2024-25 school year, the WDE anticipates that student participation in WY-ALT ELA and Math for grades 3-10, as well as WY-ALT Science for grades 4, 8, and 10 may exceed the federal one percent threshold in the coming year. As a result, "the WDE is requesting a federal waiver for ELA, Math, and Science," according to information released by the department.

This process follows federal regulations under Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 200.6(c)(4), which outlines requirements when states expect to surpass set limits on alternate assessment participation.