Wyoming lawmakers recently voted to reduce a recommended $66.3 million cost adjustment for K-12 schools by $17.5 million, Wyoming News Now reports.
The adjustment was initially suggested to address the state’s underfunding of public schools. The Joint Appropriations Committee (JAC) of the 67th Legislature had adopted the adjustment, which was also included in Governor Mark Gordon’s supplemental budget request. However, with the shift in membership in the newly formed 68th Legislature, the JAC revisited the decision and ultimately voted on a reduced amount.
On Wednesday, the committee voted to allocate $48.8 million for the K-12 school block grant. This funding would cover an 8.5% salary increase for professional staff (teachers), but would exclude similar salary increases for non-professional staff and a proposed 1.068% increase for school supplies.
Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, defended the decision, calling it a “justifiable move” that would stand up in court. He explained that non-professional staff salaries were already above the model’s recommended levels, which he argued made the decision reasonable.
However, some lawmakers opposed the move. Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson, and Rep. Trey Sherwood, D-Laramie, voted against the reduction, voicing concerns that the decision could lead to another lawsuit. Gierau predicted that the state would face further legal challenges if the bill passed as it stood, referencing the ongoing litigation over school funding.
Wyoming has been the subject of several lawsuits regarding its funding of K-12 education, with the most prominent cases being the Campbell County lawsuits. In 2022, the Wyoming Education Association, joined by several school districts, including Laramie County School District 1, filed a lawsuit against the state for underfunding public schools, including inadequate funding for staff salaries. Oral arguments for the case were heard in Laramie County District Court last summer, and both sides are now awaiting a ruling from District Judge Peter H. Froelicher, although no verdict date has been set.
