Public education in Wyoming

in Wyoming

Fiscal Budgets Wyoming state budget and finances Tax policy in Wyoming Finance Financial regulation in Wyoming Pensions Public pensions in Wyoming Pension health in Wyoming Civil liberties Affirmative action in Wyoming Campaign finance requirements in Wyoming Campaign finance requirements for Wyoming ballot measures Nonprofit regulation in Wyoming Education Charter schools in Wyoming Higher education in Wyoming Public education in Wyoming School choice in Wyoming Elections Ballot access Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Wyoming Ballot access requirements for political parties in Wyoming Political parties in Wyoming Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Wyoming Redistricting in Wyoming Voting in Wyoming Energy and Environment Energy policy in Wyoming Fracking in Wyoming Oil and gas extraction on federal land in Wyoming Endangered species in Wyoming Environmental policy in Wyoming Healthcare Healthcare policy in Wyoming Medicaid spending in Wyoming Effect of the Affordable Care Act in Wyoming Immigration Immigration in Wyoming

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K-12 education in Wyoming

Education facts

State superintendent: Jillian Balow

Number of students: 91,533

Number of teachers: 7,350

Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:13

Number of school districts: 48

Number of schools: 364

Graduation rate: 77%

Per-pupil spending: $15,700

See also

Wyoming Department of Education • List of school districts in Wyoming • Wyoming • School boards portal

Public education in the United States Public education in Wyoming Glossary of education terms

Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given are the most recent as of June 2015, with school years noted in the text or footnotes.

The Wyoming public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2013 Wyoming had 91,533 students enrolled in a total of 364 schools in 60 school districts. There were 7,350 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 13 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. There was roughly one administrator for every 246 students, compared to the national average of one administrator for every 295 students. On average Wyoming spent $15,700 per pupil in 2013, which ranked it seventh highest in the nation. The state's graduation rate was 77 percent in 2013.^[1][2][3]

Common Core[edit]

Common Core, or the Common Core State Standards Initiative, is an American education initiative that outlines quantifiable benchmarks in English and mathematics at each grade level from kindergarten through high school. The Wyoming Department of Education adopted these standards on June 16, 2012, and scheduled to have them fully implemented during the 2014-2015 school year.^[4]

As of July 2015, there were no significant developments regarding Common Core in the state of Wyoming.

General information[edit]

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how Wyoming compared to three neighboring states with respect to the number of students, schools, teachers per pupil and administrators per pupil for the 2012-2013 school year. The chart also displays that information at the national level. Wyoming had the highest spending per pupil, $15,700, and the most teachers relative to students, a ratio of 1:13, among its neighboring states.

Further comparisons between these states with respect to performance and financial information are given in other sections of this page.

Schools by type[edit]

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School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

See also: Number of schools by school type in the United States

Of the 98,454 schools in the United States, 89,031 were classified as regular schools. After regular schools, magnet schools and charter schools were the most prevalent non-traditional schools in the country, at 6,079 and 5,986, respectively.

The table below breaks down each of the different types of schools in Wyoming and nearby states. Also listed are the numbers of schools in each state that are classified as "Title I" schools. These are public schools that have been specially targeted to correct achievement gaps in public schools.^[5]

In Wyoming, there were 337 regular schools as of 2013. Alternative schools were the second most prevalent type of school in the state, with 24 schools classified as such.

Demographics[edit]

See also: Demographic information for all students in all 50 states

The following table displays the ethnic distribution of students in Wyoming as reported in the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data for 2012-2013.^[6]

During the 2012-2013 school year, just over half of all students in K-12 public schools nationwide were white. About a quarter of the students in the country were Hispanic, with black students making up about 16 percent of the student population.

In Wyoming, the majority of students were white. White students totaled 73,277, which was about 80 percent of the student population in the state. There were 11,753 Hispanic students in the state, amounting to 12.8 percent of the student population.

Enrollments by region type[edit]

See also: Student distribution by region type in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 30 percent of all public school students in the country attended city schools during the 2012-2013 school year. About 40 percent attended suburban schools. Approximately 11.5 percent of all students attended schools in towns, while about 18.7 percent attended rural schools.^[7]

A plurality of students in Wyoming attended town schools during the 2012-2013 school year. Approximately 27.3 percent of the state's students attended city or suburban schools, compared to the approximately 72.7 percent who attended rural or town schools.

Academic performance[edit]

Education terms
For more information on education policy terms, see this article.
School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

NAEP scores[edit]

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The table below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to three neighboring states (Idaho, Montana, and Utah), Wyoming had the highest percentage of fourth grade students score at or above proficient in math.^[8]

Graduation, ACT and SAT scores[edit]

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Wyoming and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.^[8][9][10]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.^[11]

Wyoming schools reported a graduation rate of 77 percent during the 2012-2013 school year, lowest among its neighboring states.

In Wyoming, more students took the ACT than the SAT in 2013, earning an average ACT score of 19.8.

Dropout rate[edit]

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Wyoming was higher than the national average at 5.4 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 4.3 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.^[12]

Educational choice options[edit]

See also: School choice in Wyoming

As of June 2015, Wyoming ranked last in the U.S. in private school attendance. Other school choice options for students in the state included charter schools, homeschooling, online learning and voluntary public school open enrollment policies.

Developments[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term
Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.^[13]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.^[14]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

Wyoming is one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

Education funding and expenditures[edit]

See also: Wyoming state budget and finances

Breakdown of expenditures by function in fiscal year 2013
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.^[15][16]

Wyoming spent approximately 10.9 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. School system revenue came primarily from state funds. When compared to its neighboring states, Wyoming dedicated the smallest portion of its total budget to public education, but had the highest per pupil spending.

Revenue breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.^[16]

During fiscal year 2013, the primary source of school system funding in Wyoming was state revenue, at $881 million. Wyoming's total public education revenue was slightly higher than Montana's, which was the lowest when compared to Wyoming and its neighboring states.

Expenditure breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.^[17]

Public education expenditures in Wyoming totaled approximately $1.7 billion in fiscal year 2012. Total public education expenditures in Wyoming were slightly higher than those in Montana, which had the lowest expenditures compared to Wyoming and its neighboring states.

Personnel salaries[edit]

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Wyoming, the average salary increased by 24.2 percent.^[19]

Organizations[edit]

State agencies[edit]

See also: Wyoming Department of Education

The Wyoming Department of Education oversees the state's K-12 public school system. The department is led by the Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction. Jillian Balow was sworn into the position in January 2015.^[20]

The mission statement of the Wyoming Department of Education reads:^[21]

The Wyoming State Board of Education sets education policy for the state's public school system and advocates on behalf of students, teachers and citizens.^[23] The board has 12 members, including the Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction.^[24]

Unions[edit]

In 2012, the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Wyoming ranked 29th overall for union power and influence, or "average," which was the middle tier of five.^[25]

The main union related to the Wyoming school system is the Wyoming Education Association, an affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA).

Taxpayer-funded lobbying[edit]

See also: Wyoming government sector lobbying

The main education government sector lobbying organization is the Wyoming School Boards Association.

Studies and reports[edit]

Quality Counts 2014[edit]

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 uses six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

Wyoming received a score of 79.9, or a B- average in the "chance for success" category. This was above the national average. The state's highest score was in "school finance" at 90.3, or an A- average. The lowest score was in "the teaching profession" at 66.7, or a D+ average. Wyoming received the highest score in the "school finance" category in the country. The chart below displays the scores of Wyoming and its surrounding states.^[26]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

State Budget Solutions education study[edit]

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

School districts[edit]

See also: School board elections portal

District types[edit]

Wyoming contains multiple types of school districts. The most prevalent are Unified districts (K-12), which contain both elementary and high schools, Elementary districts (K-6 or K-8), which contain only elementary schools and High School districts (9-12), which contain only high schools.^[27]

School board composition[edit]

Wyoming school board members are generally elected by residents of the school district, although some school board members are appointed to fill vacancies until the next election for the seat is held. Wyoming school board elections typically select board members on an at-large basis, allowing all residents living in the school district to vote for any board candidates on the ballot.^[27]

School boards can consists of five, seven or nine members. Board members serve four-year terms, which are often staggered every two years.^[27]

Term limits[edit]

Wyoming does not impose statewide term limits on school board members. However, terms limits on school board members can still be imposed on the local level.^[27]

Elections[edit]

See also: Wyoming school board elections, 2021

No Wyoming school districts within Ballotpedia's coverage scope are holding school board elections in 2021.

Path to the ballot[edit]

To qualify for the ballot as a school board candidate in Wyoming, a person must be:^[28]

• A citizen of the United States
• 18 years of age or older
• A resident of Wyoming at the time of the election

Candidates file applications with the county clerk at least 70 days and no more than 90 days prior to the election.^[28]

Campaign finance[edit]

State law requires candidates to file reports about campaign contributions at least seven days before each election. Candidates must also provide detailed reports on contributions and expenditures within 10 days after each election. All campaign finance reports from local candidates are filed with the county elections office. Individuals are limited to contributing $1,000 per candidate per election and a maximum of $25,000 across all races in a two-year period.^[29]

Recent legislation[edit]

The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Wyoming state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

Education ballot measures[edit]

See also: Education on the ballot and List of Wyoming ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.

1. Wyoming Equal Funding for Schools, Amendment 2 (1978)
2. Wyoming Nonresidential Trustees Amendment, Constitutional Amendment A (2014)
3. Wyoming Permanent Fund, Constitutional Amendment C (2006)
4. Wyoming School Revenue Limit, Question A (2004)
5. Wyoming State Education Levy, Amendment 2 (1982)
6. Wyoming Statewide School Levy, Amendment 3 (1974)

In the news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Wyoming education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also[edit]

• Historical public education information in Wyoming
• Wyoming state budget and finances
• Wyoming Department of Education
• List of school districts in Wyoming
• School choice in Wyoming
• Charter schools in Wyoming
• Wyoming
• Education Policy in the U.S.

External links[edit]

• Wyoming Department of Education
• Wyoming State Board of Education
• Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board
• Wyoming Public School Ratings by PSK12
• Wyoming Public School Ratings by Great Schools

Footnotes[edit]

	v • e State of Wyoming Cheyenne (capital)
Elections	What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2021 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures
Government	Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy