Special Education Terms in Wyoming
What special education terms does Wyoming use?
Wyoming uses standard federal IDEA terminology for most special education terms and does not have state-specific renamed categories for disabilities or IEP team roles. Key terms to understand in the Wyoming context include: 'WDE' (Wyoming Department of Education — the state education agency that oversees special education), 'LEA' (local education agency — Wyoming's 48 school districts), 'WY-ALT' (Wyoming Alternate Assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities), and 'Wyoming Summative Assessments' (the state's general accountability assessments). Wyoming uses the federal terms 'Emotional Disturbance' (not renaming it as some other states do) and 'Intellectual Disability' (not 'Cognitive Disability' or other state variants). The term 'Child Find' refers to Wyoming's obligation to identify all children with disabilities within its borders. Wyoming's early intervention program (birth to age 3) is called the 'Wyoming Early Intervention Program' (WEIP) — the Part C equivalent.
What Wyoming Requires
WDE (Wyoming Department of Education): Wyoming's state education agency responsible for administering IDEA Part B funds and monitoring special education compliance (Wyo. Stat. § 21-2-201).
Wyoming Summative Assessments: Wyoming's general accountability assessments used for grades 3–8 and high school; IEPs must address assessment accommodations for these tests (WY Rules Ch. 7 § 7(b)(v)).
WY-ALT (Wyoming Alternate Assessment): the state alternate assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who cannot participate in the Wyoming Summative Assessments even with accommodations (WY Rules Ch. 7 § 7(b)(v)).
Wyoming Early Intervention Program (WEIP): Wyoming's Part C early intervention program for children birth to age 3 with developmental delays or disabilities; children transition to Part B (IDEA) at age 3 (WY Rules Ch. 7 § 2).
Wyoming uses standard federal disability category terminology — 'Emotional Disturbance' and 'Intellectual Disability' — without state-specific renaming (WY Rules Ch. 7 § 5).
One-party consent state: under Wyo. Stat. § 7-3-702, only one party to a conversation needs to consent to audio recording, meaning parents may record IEP meetings without informing the school.
Key Timelines
WEIP to IDEA Part B transition conference must occur 90 days to 9 months before the child's third birthday (34 CFR 303.209).
WY-ALT eligibility determination must be made annually by the IEP team (WY Rules Ch. 7 § 7(b)(v)).