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1. Certification Requirements

A. Grades 9-12

1. Total number of 9-12 teachers with main assignment in science: 222
2. Total number of science teachers in grades 9-12 with an Earth science assignment: 42
3. Percentage of 9-12 science teachers with an Earth science certification: 100%
4. Specific licensure requirements for secondary teachers: Approved program based on state standards; major required.

B. Grades 6-8

1. Total number of teachers in grades 7-8 with a main assignment in science: 111
2. Total number of grades 7-8 science teachers in all assignments: 147
3. Percentage of middle grade science teachers certified in science: 90%
4. Specific licensure requirements for middle school teachers: Approved program based on state standards; major required.

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2. Course Requirements

A. Grades 9-12

1. Number of science credits required for high school graduation: 3.
2. Required science courses: None, three years of science are required, School Districts determine the courses taught that meet the Wyoming Science Content and performance Standards.
3. Is an Earth science course included in the recommended high school science curriculum? Wyoming does not have a state recommended curriculum.
4. Is Earth science part of another course required for high school graduation? Yes.
5. If Earth science is taken, does it count towards graduation requirements?  Yes
6. Is an Environmental science course included in the recommended high school science curriculum? It is offered in some districts.
7. Is Environmental science part of another course required for high school graduation? It is up to school districts to make such a requirement.
8.  If Environmental science is taken, does it count towards graduation requirements?    If a school district in Wyoming makes it a graduation requirement it can.

B. Grades 6-8

1. Is Earth Science part of the middle school science curriculum (grades 6-8)?  District Determination
2. Is it taught as a full year curriculum or an integrated curriculum?  District Determination
3. At what grade level(s) is Earth science taught? 9th grade for Hathaway, otherwise, District Determination

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3.  K-12 Enrollment

A. Student Enrollment

Grades	K-12	K-5	6-8	9-12
Students	85,578	39,336	19,403	26,839

B. Percent of Grade 9 students enrolled in selected courses

Course	Earth science	Chemistry	Biology	Physics
Percent	19%	46%	89%	16%

C. Enrollment trends in Grade 9 Earth science

Year	Percent	Students
1996-97	Not Available	Not Available
1997-98	Not Available	Not Available
1999-00	37%	2,982
2003-04	19%	Not Available

D. Students in grades 7-8 enrolled in selected science courses

Course	Students (Percentage)	Students (Percentage)
Earth Science	2,870 (19%)	Not Available (29%)
General Science	3,776 (25%)	Not Available (22%e)
Physical Science	2,266 (15%)	Not Available (6%)
Life Science	3,323 (22%)	Not Available (25%)
Integrated or Coordinated Science	604 (4%)	Not Available (10%)

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4. K-12 Indicators

	State	National
Average Freshman Graduation Rate	76.1%	73.2%
College Enrollment Rate	58%	68.6%
AP Participation Rate	15%	25%

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5. Science Standards

• Standards Publication: Wyoming State Standards
• Year in which science standards were adopted: 2008
• Are state standards determined at the district level? Districts adopt the state standards.
• When will the state standards be revised?  2013

The National Science Education Standards outline the concepts and principles that students should understand about Earth and space science. At the middle school level, the standards are divided into three areas: Structure of the Earth System, Earth’s History, and Earth in the Solar System. At the high school level, the standards are divided into four areas: Energy in the Earth System, Geochemical Cycles, Origin and Evolution of the Earth System, and Origin and Evolution of the Universe. For the AGI Report, the Earth science standards for each state were reviewed to determine whether they incorporate the concepts and principles outlined in the National Science Education Standards.

A. Do the state standards for grades 9-12 contain principles and concepts related to:

Energy in the Earth system? Yes	Origin and evolution of the Earth system? Yes
Geochemical cycles?Yes	Origin and evolution of the universe? Yes

B. Do the state standards for grades 9-12 include environmental science concepts?
Yes.  Emphasis within Life systems standards.

C. Do the state standards for grades 5-8 contain principles and concepts related to:

Structure of the Earth system? Yes	Earth in the Solar System? Yes
Earth’s history? Yes

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6. Testing and Assessment

A. State Science Tests

Test	Grade Levels Tested:	Earth Science Component on the Test?
Proficiency Assessments for Wyoming Schools (PAWS)	4, 8, 11	Yes

B. State High School Exit Exam

1. Name of Exam: Proficiency Assessment
2. Type of Test: Not Applicable
3. Does the exam have a science component? Yes
4. At what grade do students first take the exam? 4
5. Is passing the exam a requirement for a diploma? No
6. Does the exam have an Earth science component? Yes

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7. Textbook Adoptions

• Does the state select or recommend textbooks? No. 
• Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: Determined at district level, no state approved list.
• Environmental science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: Determined at district level, no state approved list.
• Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the middle school level: Determined at district level, no state approved list.

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8. Undergraduate Education

Students Graduating with an Associates Degree

Physical Sciences	Geosciences	Life Sciences	Natural and Physical Sciences	Science and Engineering Technologies
5	10	327	N/A	237

Students Graduating with a Bachelor's Degree

Physical Sciences	Geosciences	Life Sciences	Natural and Physical Sciences	Science and Engineering Technologies
17	19	333	369	14

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9. Graduate Education

Students Graduating with a Master's Degree

Physical Sciences	Geosciences	Life Sciences	Natural and Physical Sciences	Science and Engineering Technologies
5	7	90	102	N/A

Students Graduating with a Doctorate Degree

Physical Sciences	Geosciences	Life Sciences	Natural and Physical Sciences	Science and Engineering Technologies
5	9	14	28	N/A

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10. State Contact Person

Tom Collins	Standards Team Supervisor
Wyoming Dept. of Education 2020 Grand Ave. Suite 500 Laramie, WY 82070	tcolli@educ.state.wy.us 307-777-3493

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