Last month, the Wyoming State Legislature wrapped up its session. Several education-related bills were passed, and the Governor signed them into law.

The most notable for English language arts eliminated the state writing assessment in its entirety. The State Board of Education, the Superintendant of Public Instruction, and the Wyoming Department of Education must “cease any development or administration of a separate writing assessment as a part of the statewide assessment system.”

The new statute eliminates the Statewide Assessment of Writing Skills (SAWS) at grades 3, 5, and 7 from the statewide assessment system effective immediately. This means that SAWS testing scheduled for April/May has been cancelled.

The Wyoming Department of Education Standards and Assessment teams will be planning professional development sessions in order to continue support for standards-based instruction relative to writing.