Chapter 2

School Schedules

Section 1. Authority. These rules and regulations are promulgated pursuant to Wyoming Statute § 21-02-304(b)(viii) and W.S. 21-4-301.

Section 2. Pupil-Teacher Contact Time. Pupil-teacher contact time means time reflected in a school schedule for on- or off-site instruction and educational activities that students are required to attend, for which attendance is taken for membership calculation purposes, and that includes instructional oversight from a certified teacher. Educational activities may include online learning that is managed through logged activity, submissions, or tracking.

Section 3. Required Hours. Pupil-teacher contact time may not be less than the minimums for hours set out in subsections (a) through (d) below. School/hour/day schedules must be reflected and described in the district calendar submitted to WDE, as well as in any accreditation reports. The minimum annual pupil-teacher contact time for Wyoming public schools (kindergarten through grade 12) shall be:

(a) Kindergarten. A minimum of 450 hours.

(b) Elementary. A minimum of 900 hours.

(c) Middle School/Junior High. A minimum of 950 hours.

(d) High School. A minimum of 1000 hours.

Section 4.  Procedure for Implementing Alternative Schedule.

(a) A district shall submit an alternative schedule application between January 1 and April 1 preceding the school calendar year for which the schedule will be implemented.

(b) The State Board of Education shall deny:

  (i) alternative schedules that reduce the number of operational days more than the number of school days that include pupil-teacher contact time; or

  (ii) alternative schedules that do not propose fewer than 175 days containing pupil-teacher contact time.

 (c) A district shall submit a request that includes:

  (i) the educational goals and purposes for which the alternative schedule should be adopted;

  (ii) a description of the schedule, including the school(s) to which the request applies, total operational days, and number of days that include pupil-teacher contact;

  (iii) a method to evaluate whether the schedule has achieved the goals and purposes;

  (iv) evidence that the district has held at least two (2) advertised public meetings at which time the board of trustees shall receive and respond to public comments on the proposed alternative schedule;

  (v) a record of public comments received on the proposed alternative schedule;

  (vi) a record of the board of trustees responses to public comments; and

  (vii) evidence that the board of trustees approved the alternative schedule application.

(d) In approving requests for an alternative schedule the State Board shall specify the time period for which approval is granted.

(i) The Board may approve alternative schedule applications for one (1) or two (2) years for initial or second district applications.

(ii) The Board may approve alternative schedule applications for up to five (5) years for third or subsequent district applications.

  (iii) "Initial application" means an application for an alternative schedule when either:

   (A) The district is not currently operating under an approved alternative schedule; or

   (B) The district is currently operating under an approved alternative schedule and seeks approval for a change to its current or most recently approved alternative schedule, including the participation of additional schools.

 (e) A district with an approved alternative schedule shall submit evidence that it evaluated the alternative schedule's effectiveness in light of trends in student learning by July 1 of each year.