Tagged: Department of Education

The Wyoming Department of Education has granted a waiver to a number of school districts in the state who cannot meet a classroom size mandate. 

The state legislature passed a law in 2011 to require Kindergarten through 3rd grade classes to have an average student-teacher ratio of 16 to one.  Interim Education Director Jim Rose says it’s been a challenge for districts to comply with the law.             

“Some districts have hired additional staff, they are requisitioning space that wasn’t used for independent classrooms, K-3 classrooms before.”

The Wyoming State Board of Education met in a teleconference today. Board members have been tasked with finding an executive search firm to assist in recruiting candidates for the newly-created Director of the Department of Education position. The appointed director will take over many of the duties previously entrusted to the elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction.  

After hearing from whistleblowers and attorneys that there may have been irregularities in spending within the State Department of Education, the Wyoming House of Representatives has set aside money to perform a whistleblower audit of the department. 

Speaker of the House Tom Lubnau says Superintendent Cindy Hill has denied that money was spent improperly, but he says the legislature is obligated to determine if there is any truth to the charges and the House will ask for a complete audit.       

Governor Matt Mead says he has met with employees at the State Department of Education and members of the State Board of Education to make sure there will be a smooth transition as they hire a Wyoming Education Director. 

The Legislature stripped many of State Superintendent Cindy Hill’s powers, and she has been relocated to an office a block away from the Department of Education.

Mead said the State Board of Education will submit three names for the governor to consider for Director. He adds that it will be an open search.

The Co-Chairmen of the legislature's Joint Education Committee are sponsoring legislation to create an appointed, Cabinet-level position to administer the Department of Education. The bill would allow the Governor to appoint a director for the Education Department. It would not eliminate the superintendent position, but modify the position’s responsibilities and lessen its power. The legislature comes after tense discussions in the Capitol about Superintendent Cindy Hill’s effectiveness in her position.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Cindy Hill says she is looking forward to addressing a legislative committee next week following a report that was critical of her department.

The Legislative Service Office report said that errors and communication problems led to delays in the Department of Education’s ability to provide necessary federal information and required state accountability data.  Hill says the report is inaccurate.