The Wyoming Education Association would like to thank everyone who engaged in our state legislature during the 2025 general session. Whether it was through postcards, phone calls, emails, or town halls, your voices helped us stop several terrible anti-public education bills.
And though the dust has settled from that chaotic session, our work as public education advocates is far from over. For the first time, WEA will provide legislative updates during the interim to keep you informed, to grow our group of pro-public education advocates, and to facilitate engagement for the Joint Interim Education Committee and the Select Committee on School Recalibration.
House and Senate members from each committee meet over the summer and fall to work on topics that the committees feel are important. This work typically culminates in bills that receive some deference and priority during the legislative session. It is vital that public education advocates continue to engage legislators during this process so that we can continue to fight for our public schools, our students, and our educators. There will be opportunities for testimony, emailing, phone banking, meeting with legislators, and general advocacy.
Additionally, WEA proudly partners with many organizations across the state that share our values and desire to fight for public education, and we will let you know of these engagement opportunities. And remember: people don’t need to be a WEA member to be a public education advocate – encourage your friends and colleagues to sign up for the legislative updates and to take the pledge in support of Wyoming’s public schools.
Word of the Week: RECALIBRATION
Education funding is an especially important topic right now in Wyoming. WEA won its litigation against the State of Wyoming for underfunding K12 education and failing to provide for several aspects of a modern education to which our students have a constitutional right. To ensure that Wyoming is fully funding a cost-based model of education, the state is required by law to examine education every five years in a recalibration. There are opportunities to let your voices be heard about Wyoming’s public education system during this process during professional judgement panels, to be held across the state and in person. Please consider attending one of those events and advocating for your public schools!
Current Interim Topics:
Joint Education (First Meeting: May 28 and 29, Thyra Thompson Building in Casper)
- Priority #1: Recalibration. The Committee will receive information from the recalibration committee to keep them informed of the work.
- Priority #2: School Discipline. The Committee will study federal law, Wyoming Statutes, Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) rules, and local school district policies regarding school discipline, the use of restraints and seclusion, and how to best provide the least restrictive educational environment for students pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
- Priority #3: Higher Education. The Committee will study community college career and technical education (CTE) programs and higher education programs for supporting students.
- Priority #4: Charter Schools. The Committee will comprehensively review Wyoming Statutes and agency rules that govern the operation of charter schools. The Committee intends to receive reports and recommendations from state agencies for any necessary statutory changes.
- Priority #5: K-12 Teacher Recruitment and Retention. The Committee will examine K-12 teacher recruitment and retention efforts in Wyoming and successful efforts in other states. This study will include alternative certification and preparation programs, and the WDE’s apprenticeship program.
- Priority #6: K-3 Literacy. The Committee will study the reading assessment and intervention program under W.S. 21-3-401 and review evidence-based best practices in assessing and remedying reading difficulties. The Committee may consider potential amendments to the reading assessment and intervention program.
Joint Judiciary (First Meeting: May 20, at 9:45am, Torrington and online): Review of obscenities statutes. Potentially removing the exception for educators and librarians, opening the opportunity for criminal prosecutions.
Other Committees taking up education related topics include:
In-Person Recalibration Sessions:
- Cody: Wednesday, May 28
- Gillette: Thursday & Friday, May 29 & 30
- Rock Springs: Tuesday, June 10
- Cheyenne: Wednesday & Thursday, June 11 & 12
Online Recalibration Sessions (check online or via social media for registration links):
- Wednesday, May 21
- Thursday, May 22
- Monday, June 2
- Wednesday, June 4
In the coming months, WEA President Kim Amen will continue to tour the state with Community Listening Sessions. These provide an opportunity to discuss education in Wyoming and explore how you can help advocate for our amazing public education system! More details to come. And look for WEA to host and table at events across the state throughout 2025.
Partners Corner
Better Wyoming is hosting postcard parties to help raise awareness about how your elected representatives voted on key issues this last session.
- Casper: Wednesday, May 14, 5:30-8:30pm at the Mental Health Hub (drop-in event). Sign up here.
- Laramie: Thursday, May 22, 5-7pm at O’Dwyer’s. Sign up here.
In solidarity!
