RESEARCHING DE OPTIONS

Types of Program Providers

There are several types of distance education programs in Wyoming. Some programs operate through a Wyoming school district using their Wyoming certified and highly qualified instructors:

  • Single-District Program Providers are Wyoming school districts that have decided to offer distance education coursework to only their local K-12 students.
  • Statewide Program Providers are school districts that offer distance education coursework to all Wyoming K-12 students. Detailed information on these programs and the courses they offer is available on the WSN website. 

Other distance education programs are operated by an institution other than the Wyoming school district that approves and accepts the courses:

  • Postsecondary Program Providers are eligible to deliver DE coursework to districts that agree to verify the course content and quality independently. Not all dual-credit courses are delivered at a distance. 
  • Out-of-State Partnerships refer to Wyoming school districts that accept credits from out-of-state DE program provider(s). 

Program Provider Information

All statewide Wyoming Switchboard Network distance education program providers supply the following information to provide a general description of their overall policies and requirements:

  • The Program Information provides a description of the distance education program, enrollment requirements and process, and important contact information. If you have any questions or require more specific details, please contact the administrator of the program for more information.
  • The Course Evaluation Narrative describes the method(s) of course procurement and evaluative procedures followed by the DE program provider.
  • The Student Accountability Narrative describes the student requirements, method(s) of pre-enrollment consultation, anticipated instructional support from the resident district, nonresident district accountability, and intervention plan. The pre-enrollment consultation is incorporated into to the students’ Distance Learning Plan as the mechanism to ensure that distance education is appropriate to their individual learning capabilities.
  • The Instructor Accountability Narrative describes the instructors’ minimum qualifications, professional development requirements and opportunities, performance expectations, and method(s) of evaluation.
  • The Partnership Plan describes the expectations and requirements the nonresident district will have of the resident district and how the nonresident district will coordinate the proper support and training for resident district personnel.

Course Information

As the central collection of state approved programs, the Switchboard website will provide interested district personnel, parents, and students the following information in order to make a sound decision in regards to choosing the most appropriate distance education course(s).

It is the responsibility of the students' resident district to review this information and verify that the prospective distance education course(s) meets or exceeds the district’s program and content standards . The resident district is solely responsible to ensure the student’s distance education program meets or exceeds the requirements of the district Body of Evidence, graduation requirements, Success Curriculum and Hathaway Scholarship requirements, et al.

On the Switchboard, each course offered by a statewide program provider will include the following information for review:

  • General Information such as the course title, description and syllabus, suggested grade level, start and end dates, meeting dates and times if applicable, and the method(s) of delivery such as WEN Video or online.
  • The Course Milestones define the required objectives of the course with anticipated due dates. These Milestones are used to measure the student’s progress throughout the coursework and will be used as attendance and membership equivalency.
  • A Course Scope that outlines the topics and objectives presented in the course. The scope must explicitly define the assessments, topics, objectives, and other mandatory benchmarks presented throughout the coursework.
  • A Standards Alignment that documents the alignment of course content to the Wyoming Content and Performance Standards.
  • A Course Quality verification that demonstrates the course meets or exceeds the appropriate WDE approved standards/guidelines pertaining to distance education course delivery methods.

Please note:

  • Post-Secondary (Limited) Program Providers are not required to submit course information to the Wyoming Switchboard Network. For more information about the distance education programs provided by Wyoming postsecondary institutions, please visit the WyCLASS website.
  • Course information for single-district programs that offer distance education coursework to their local students is not available for public review. For more information on these programs and the courses they offer, contact the programs directly.
  • Course information is not available for out-of-state distance education providers. A Wyoming school district that accepts credits from an out-of-state DE program provider must ensure that the course(s) meet or exceed both state and district standards for course content. 

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