SBE and WDE Proceed with Collaborative Assessment Reduction

The Wyoming State Board of Education met virtually this week and took action to remove the grade three writing assessment from next spring’s administration of the WY-TOPP state assessment. According to a Wyoming Department of Education media release, action was also taken by the State Board to reduce the number of items on grades three through eighth Math WY-TOPP and to provide more focused instruction and in-depth assessment of critical math concepts.

The elimination of grade three essay writing from the current state assessment originated from Superintendent Megan Deagenfelder’s “Assessment Reduction and Efficiency Plan.” This change allows teachers and students the time necessary to ensure that both writing and typing skills are present before students are assessed. While the removal of the grade three Writing assessment will take effect in the Spring of 2025, board members noted that the state Writing standards are currently under revision.  

The board also approved revisions to the math state assessment blueprints to align them with recently adopted math standards. This work reduced grade 3-8 math assessment items by at least 30 percent and shifted from the current subject-specific areas to comprehensive math skills. The newly adopted math standards are currently available to schools to fully implement by the 2025-26 school year. Changes to the mathematics portion of the WY-TOPP assessment will go into effect in spring 2026.