The Wyoming Education Association appreciates the Wyoming Supreme Court’s careful consideration of this case and the important constitutional issues at its heart. This case has always been about making sure every Wyoming student, no matter where they live, has an equal opportunity to receive the high-quality public education promised to them by our state constitution.
We are especially pleased that the Court reaffirmed the fundamental principles established through decades of Wyoming school finance decisions. The Court made clear that our state’s obligation to its students has not changed. Wyoming’s school funding system must be based on the actual cost of providing a quality education, and when the funding model creates disparities that are not based on differences in actual costs, those disparities are subject to strict scrutiny review for violation of Wyoming’s constitution.
The Court also affirmed what WEA and the school districts demonstrated at trial: Wyoming has not adequately funded the salaries necessary to attract and retain quality teachers. The Court found that model salaries did not reflect the true costs of recruiting and retaining qualified teachers, which in turn created disparities among school districts. For years, educators and school districts have told policymakers that Wyoming cannot provide the education our students deserve without the people who make that education possible. We appreciate the Court recognizing that adequately funding educator salaries is not separate from providing a quality education for all Wyoming students. It is essential to it.
Just as importantly, the Court affirmed that keeping school funding current with inflation is not optional. The Legislature must regularly evaluate the effects of inflation and make appropriate adjustments so that the funding model continues to reflect the actual cost of educating Wyoming students. When the costs of operating our schools increase but funding does not keep pace, our schools lose purchasing power and our students ultimately feel the impact.
We are disappointed that the Court did not uphold the District Court’s decision requiring state funding for school resource officers and student nutrition programs. The Court determined that the evidence presented at trial did not meet the legal standard necessary to require statewide funding for these programs. Although this was the Court’s holding for now, the Court also recognized that additional evidence or further developments could subsequently result in a finding that Wyoming must fund such important costs. WEA continues to believe that safe schools and ensuring students are ready to learn are important parts of supporting student success. We encourage the Legislature to continue examining these needs and to provide schools with the resources necessary to meet them.
Today’s decision is not the entirety of what the State must address to resolve constitutional violations in school funding. The State did not appeal significant portions of the District Court’s original decision, including the requirement to fund elementary school mental health counselors, other violations in operational funding, and the finding that unequal and inadequate school facilities had been allowed to exist for too long. Those district court holdings and the obligation of the State to correct those violations also remain.
This decision provides important clarity, but the work is not finished. Wyoming has a constitutional obligation and an incredible opportunity to provide our students with a high-quality public education. Now the responsibility returns to our elected leaders to ensure our school funding system meets those obligations.
WEA stands ready to work with legislators, school districts, educators, families, and communities to ensure Wyoming keeps its promise to our students.
