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SUMMER 2016 | WEAnews 20 Teaching & Learning Professional Development Professional Development Professional Development Opportunities Await You Opportunities Await You Opportunities Await You Professional Development Opportunities Await You Professional Development Professional Development Professional Development Opportunities Await You Professional Development Opportunities Await You Professional Development Opportunities Await You Professional Development Professional Development Professional Development Opportunities Await You Professional Development WEA Professional Development/Trainings Are Available to Your Local or Region Did you know that WEA can provide you with a variety of professional trainings to suit your members' particular interests and needs? See the many examples in the WEA Professional Development brochure at: http://wyoea.org/teaching-learning/, where you can also find other teaching and learning resources available to you! AdvocAcy TrAining Explore the rights of various education employees in one or more of the following areas: Basic civil Rights Education suppoRt pRofEssionals' (non-cERtifiEd EmployEEs') uniquE issuEs Evaluation pRocEss gRiEvancE pRocEduREs lEgal pRocEss pERsonnEl filEs sElf-advocacy Learn how you can advocate for your fellow members and for yourself! Schedule your fall trainings TODAY! Contact your region's UniServ Director (contact information available at http://wyoea.org/uniserv/), or Kathy Scheurman (kscheurman@wyoea.org), WEA Professional Issues Director. Education Issues Don't Stop for the Summer There's never a dull moment in Wyoming education, is there?! Here is a quick synopsis of recent activities around professional education issues in our fine state: The State Board of Education meets at least monthly year-round, which requires a big commitment by the volunteers who serve on this board. Their work is very important, and they take it very seriously! Two of many topics under consideration at this time are the proposed K-12 science content and performance standards, and the adoption of revised rules and regulations regarding district assessment systems to align with changes in statute. The Professional Teaching Standards Board, the licensing board for Wyoming educators of all types, received 1,311 applications in just the first quarter of 2016, which is the highest volume in the past 6 years and is 8% higher than the previous 5-year average of 1,209. The Board recently participated in the accreditation of the education (teacher preparation) program at the University of Wyoming, at which WEA's President Vetter was an observer. The Legislature's Select Committee on Accountability has been looking at the anticipated effects of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, the reauthorization of ESEA) requirements on Wyoming's accountability system. In addition, the Committee directed its staff to draft proposed legislation to remove teacher evaluation/accountability from Phase 2 of the Wyoming Accountability in Education Act (but retain accountability for leaders). This proposal will be considered at the September meeting; if moved forward, the full legislature would need to take action when it is in session. Judy Catchpole was named as the new chairperson of the Advisory Committee to the Select Committee on Accountability. The Alternative Schools Accountability Taskforce is continuing its work in this interim of fleshing out the alternative school accountability system given initial approval by the Legislature in the 2016 session. Among the many components the taskforce has been working on most recently are student climate surveys and individual Student Success Plans. They must take into consideration not just the desired outcomes of each component of the system but also any unintended consequences, as well as possible data collection processes/issues and costs. Early childhood work in the state took some financial blows during the 2016 legislative session. Due to budget constraints, the Early Childhood Community Partnership Grants were cut for the next biennium; the existing grants will expire at the end of this June, but hopefully some important work will move on in whatever format communities can muster. The Wyoming Early Childhood Partnership/Wyoming Kids First, a non-profit organization of which WEA is a member, recently received a corporate grant to support and expand the "Book and a Bite" program model throughout communities in Wyoming. Ten communities were selected to use those grant funds to host events designed to strengthen families through a structured evening during which families share a hot meal together, enjoy a book read- aloud, and receive a children's book and take-home food bags for the entire family. If you would like more information on these or other professional issues in Wyoming, please contact Kathy Scheurman, WEA Professional Issues Director, at kscheurman@wyoea.org. u u u u u