Responses Last Confirmed:

Wyoming Department of Education

Agency Information

Guide Topics

Agency Contact

Brenna Harris
307-777-6210
brenna.harris@wyo.gov

Additional Contact

Secretary of State Contact

Chuck Gray
307-777-7378
Business@wyo.gov
Topic

1: Important Agency Information to Note

a.
Provide any important information about your agency.

No response provided

Topic

2: Types of Educational Providers Authorized

a.
Indicate the types of institutions that your agency authorizes. Please provide a short explanation of any ambiguity in the comment section below.

_____ Public, in-state degree granting institutions
__X__ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
__X__ Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
__X__ Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
__X__ Non-degree, for-profit institutions
__X__ Religious institutions
_____ Tribally-controlled institutions
_____ Federal Institutions
_____ Municipal institutions

b.
Does your agency authorize specific academic programs offered by institutions, only institutions themselves, or both?

__X__ Institution   _____ Program _____ Both

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

3: Accreditation

a.
Is accreditation required for an institution to be authorized in your state?

Yes

b.
If yes, please check all that apply as appropriate.

Accreditation Required for:

__X__ Public, out-of-state degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, in-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, not-for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, in-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
__X__ Private, out-of-state, for-profit degree granting institutions
_____ Public, in-state, non-degree granting institutions
_____ Public, out-of-state, non-degree granting institutions
_____ Non-degree, not-for profit institutions
_____ Non-degree, for-profit institutions
_____ Religious institutions
_____ Tribally-controlled institutions
_____ Federal Institutions
_____ Municipal institutions

c.
Clarifying comments:

All degree granting institutions are required to be accredited by an agency recognized by the USDE.  There is a provision for institutions that are in candidate status with a recognized accreditation agency.

Topic

4: Exemptions

a.
Are certain institutions or programs exempt by law or policy from your state authorization requirements?

The only exemption offered in the state of Wyoming is for brick and mortar religious institutions located in the state that only offer degrees with religious modifiers in their name.

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions? Which types of programs?

No response provided

c.
Web link for exemptions.

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

5: Authorization of Distance Education

a.
Does your agency require purely online programs offered by out-of-state institutions to be authorized without regard to physical presence?

Yes. 

b.
If not, does your agency determine whether an institution must be authorized based on a physical presence (“operating”) standard?

No response provided

c.
Does your agency require correspondence study programs to be authorized without regard to physical presence?

Yes. 

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

6: Physical Presence Policy

a.
If your agency uses a physical presence standard, how does your agency define physical presence?

No response provided

b.
Web link for physical presence definition.

No response provided

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

7: Student Complaints - SARA Participating Institutions

a.
Please describe the process for handling complaints about SARA participating Institutions.

Same as for non-SARA participating institutions. Please see above.

b.
Is the process handled all within your agency or do you divide consumer protection and student complaint duties dependent on the type of institution (Public, Private, Technical, etc.)?

No response provided

c.
Web link for student complaints – SARA participating institutions.

No response provided

d.
Who is the contact person at your agency for receiving complaints?

No response provided

  • Contact Name
  • Title
  • Agency
  • Address
  • Email
  • Phone
  • URL
e.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

8: Student Complaints - Non-SARA Participating Institutions

a.
Please describe the process for handling complaints about out-of-state postsecondary institutions or programs?

https://edu.wyoming.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Wyoming-Department-of-Education-Student-Complaint-Process.pdf

 

b.
Is the process handled all within your agency or do you divide consumer protection and student complaint duties dependent on the type of institution (Public, Private, Technical, etc.)?

The complaint duties are divided based on the nature of the complaint.

c.
Does this complaint process extend to institutions not authorized by the agency that may enroll residents of the state (such as explicitly distance education programs with no physical presence or exempt institutions)?

No response provided

d.
Who is the contact person at your agency for receiving complaints?
  • Contact Name: Elaine Marces
  • Title: Private School Licensing
  • Agency: Wyoming Department of Education
  • Address: 122 W. 25th St. Suite E200
  • Email: elaine.marces@wyo.gov
  • Phone: 307-777-6210
  • URL
e.
Web link for the complaint form.

https://edu.wyoming.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Wyoming-Department-of-Education-Student-Complaint-Process.pdf

f.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

9: Surety Bonds

a.
Does your state require a Surety Bond for authorized out-of-state institutions?

Maybe

b.
Web link for surety bonds.

No response provided

c.
Clarifying comments:

A $10,000 Surety Bond is required for institutions in candidate status of accreditation as well as non-degree granting proprietary schools.

Topic

10: Tuition Refund Policy

a.
Does your state have a Tuition Refund Policy Requirement?

No response provided

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions?

No response provided

c.
Web link for tuition refund policy.

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

11: Student Tuition Recovery Fund

a.
Does your state have a Student Tuition Recovery Fund (or similar fund for school closure)?

No

b.
If yes, for what types of institutions?

No response provided

c.
Web link for student tuition recovery fund.

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

12: Reporting

a.
What kinds of information or data must an institution report to your agency as a condition for continued out-of-state authorization?

The institution must submit accreditation information. Proprietary schools must submit personnel, course catalog, financial information, etc

b.
How frequently do institutions report data?

Annually.

c.
Is this information published or shared publicly?

Some of the information is shared publicly.

d.
Web link for reporting.

https://1ddlxtt2jowkvs672myo6z14-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Chapter-1-checklist.pdf

e.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

13: Enforcement

a.
What are possible consequences of institutional non-compliance?

No response provided

b.
Web link for enforcement information.

No response provided

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

14: Application Process

a.
Please provide a short description of the application process to obtain state authorization.

An annual application and applicable fees must be submitted on or before July 1 each year.

b.
Web link for application.

https://edu.wyoming.gov/for-district-leadership/school-programs/private-school-licensing/

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

15: Fees Associated with Authorization

a.
Is there an application fee associated with the authorization process?

Yes

b.
If yes, what is the fee or fee schedule?

The annual fee for degree granting institutions is $100.  Non-degree proprietary schools must submit a $10,000 bond as well as a $200 fee.

c.
Web link for fee information.

No response provided

d.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

16: Records Retention

a.
From what agency do students request their transcripts/records from a closed school?

The state works with individual closing institutions to ensure the records are available to students. 

b.
From what agency do students request their transcripts/records from a closed school?

No response provided

Agency Name:
Contact Person:
Contact Phone:
Contact Address:
Contact Email:
Contact website:

c.
Clarifying comments:

No response provided

Topic

17: Additional Information

a.
Is there anything else about the authorization process in your state that we and others ought to know about?

No response provided