Wyoming
Teaching Standards and Leadership Standards
Teaching Standards
Is working with and meeting the needs of students with disabilities addressed in state teaching standards?
Our policy review did not identify state teaching standards for Wyoming. However, the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board (PTSB) issues teaching licenses in endorsement areas based on Specialized Professional Associations (SPA) standards and Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) standards.
School Leadership Standards
Is knowledge of working with students with disabilities included in leader standards?
Our policy review did not identify Wyoming state leadership standards. However, the Wyoming PTSB issues school administrator licenses based on Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) standards.
Teacher and Principal Preparation
Teacher Preparation – Program Approval/Accreditation
Required course work in teaching students with disabilities/diverse learners
The Wyoming PTSB program approval process currently aligns with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditation review process and is being updated to align with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Standard four of the NCATE Unit Standards, requires that the preparation program designs, implements, and evaluates curriculum and provides experiences for candidates to acquire and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions necessary to help all students learn. Targets for this standard include:
- Candidates learn to contextualize teaching and draw effectively on representations from the students’ own experiences and cultures. They challenge students toward cognitive complexity and engage all students, including English language learners and students with exceptionalities, through instructional conversation. (4.a)
- Candidates in conventional and distance learning programs interact with professional education faculty, faculty in other units, and school faculty from a broad range of diverse groups. Higher education and school faculty with whom candidates work throughout their preparation program are knowledgeable about and sensitive to preparing candidates to work with diverse students, including students with exceptionalities. (4.b)
Sources:
Clinical time in diverse settings/teaching special populations
The teacher candidate must have numerous opportunities to observe, interact with and instruct students for his/her selected age group and subject areas.
EPSB Rules require an institution of higher education seeking approval for any initial licensure program to provide a minimum of 8 consecutive weeks of student teaching in an accredited school setting and a three-semester hour practicum for added endorsement programs at a different grade level(s) than what the educator already holds endorsement.
Source: Wyoming PTSB, Chapter 4, Program Approval Standards and Endorsement Areas
Teacher Preparation – Accountability
Quality of teacher preparation programs
Wyoming collects program reports from state-approved licensure program as part of the NCATE and CAEP accreditation and program review process. When Specialized Professional Association (SPA) standards are available, these program reports are reviewed by the SPA for the purposes of achieving “national recognition.” These reports are also used in program approval decisions. Apart from the accreditation process, the state does not have an accountability system that governs the performance of teacher preparation programs.
Sources:
Wyoming PTSB, Rules and Regulations, Chapter 4, Program Approval Standards and Endorsement Areas
NCATE Wyoming State Protocol
Principal Preparation – Program Approval/Accreditation
Required course work in leading a school/district that serves students with disabilities/diverse learners
Wyoming has adopted the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) standards for program approval. The Wyoming PTSB requires coursework to the extent that the ELCC requires it.
Sources:
Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) Standards
Principal Preparation – Accountability
Are programs reviewed based on outcomes of graduates’ success? Can school principals be linked back to institutions of higher education and preparation programs?
All program reviews must utilize the same form addressing the standards for each endorsement area. Programs report on the outcomes of the programs and program completers.
Source: NCATE Program Review process
Teacher and Principal Certification/Licensure
Teacher Certification/Licensure – Structure
Is a specific certificate, license or endorsement related to special education required?
Wyoming’s special education teacher licensure requirements build upon a general education foundation. The state offers a Standard License with endorsements in the following special education areas each available at the K-6, 5-8, 6-12, and the K-12 grade levels:
Exceptional Generalist
Exceptional Specialist – Behavior and Emotional Disabilities
Exceptional Specialist – Cognitive Disabilities
Exceptional Specialist – Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Exceptional Specialist – Learning Disability
Exceptional Specialist – Physical and Health Disability
Exceptional Specialist – Visual Disability
Source: Wyoming PTSB Rules and Regulations, Chapter 4, Program Approval Standards and Endorsement Areas
Teacher Certification – Examination
Does the state require teachers to pass a basic skills exam for initial certification? What are the pass rates on the exams? Does the state require Praxis II or more pedagogical assessment for licensure? Does it include anything about teaching diverse learners or special populations?
Wyoming requires submission of passing Praxis II scores only for first-time licensees in the areas of Elementary Education and Social Studies Comprehensive.
Source: Wyoming Testing Requirements, ETS
Teacher Certification/Licensure – Requirements
Is professional development around working with special populations required to move from initial to a professional license?
Wyoming does not have a tiered teacher licensure system. Wyoming only offers a Standard License.
Source: Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board, Licensure
Principal Certification/Licensure – Requirements
Is prior teaching experience required to become a principal and/or a superintendent? Is specific coursework or other evidence required around working with special populations?
The state of Wyoming requires administrator endorsement licensure candidates to have three years of prior teaching or related K-12 experience and complete a state-approved preparation program. Candidates must receive an institutional recommendation by a designated official of their institution of higher learning and complete specified courses.
Source: Wyoming PTSB Rules and Regulations, Chapter 4, Program Approval Standards and Endorsement Areas
Teacher and Principal Induction
Teacher Induction
Is mentoring required for all new teachers and for how many years? If so, do program guidelines/requirements specifically address teaching diverse learners?
The state does not require beginning teachers to receive induction support.
Source: New Teacher Center, Review of State Policies on Teacher Induction
Principal Induction
Is coaching/mentoring required for all new principals/administrators/ superintendents and for how many years? If so, do program guidelines/requirements specifically serving diverse learners?
The state does not require induction support for beginning school administrators.
Source: New Teacher Center, Review of State Policies on Teacher Induction
Teacher and Principal Professional Development Standards
Teacher Professional Development Standards
Does the state have professional development standards for teacher PD?
Wyoming requires five credits of PTSB pre-approved professional development workshop credit or five semester hours during the validity period of the license for renewal regardless of endorsements held by the educator.
Source: Wyoming PTSB Rules and Regulations Chapter 8, Renewal Requirements for Educator Licenses and Permits
Principal Professional Development Standards
Does the state have professional development standards for leadership PD?
Wyoming requires five credits of PTSB pre-approved professional development workshop credit or five semester hours during the validity period of the license for renewal regardless of endorsements held by the educator.
Source: Wyoming PTSB Rules and Regulations Chapter 8, Renewal Requirements for Educator Licenses and Permits