WyomingWyoming sets school funding rules and teacher pay schedules
Wyoming school districts would use a new funding model, follow teacher pay schedule rules, and seek capped reimbursement for approved dual enrollment courses.
What it does
Wyoming would calculate district funding through a detailed model covering staff, supplies, salaries, and other school costs. Many instructional funds could not be used for unrelated purposes.
Districts could receive reimbursement for students’ approved college courses and completed credits, subject to a $10 million annual limit and possible proportional reductions.
For three school years, districts must use teacher pay schedules that meet a specified districtwide salary floor based on model-based or prior-year average pay.
Argument forDistricts may have more predictable funding for staff and supplies, while dual enrollment reimbursements could help students earn college credit without limiting course enrollment.
Argument againstDistricts may face tighter budget choices because instructional funds cannot be shifted to other needs, and reimbursement payments may be reduced when available funds are insufficient.
More detail
The state would use a detailed education resource block grant model to calculate school district resources. The model covers Wyoming K-12 public school districts and includes staffing, materials, technology, student activities, operations, salaries, and other school resources. Districts may hire more or fewer positions than the model resources, but funds generated for many instructional positions may be spent only for instructional purposes. Co-located schools must be treated as one school for funding, staffing, and resource allocation, unless another law expressly allows separate treatment. The model uses student membership, school grade levels, district size, regional costs, and other listed factors. The main provisions take effect July 1, 2026; regional wage indexes are updated annually beginning with the 2027-2028 school year.
The education department would reimburse school districts for students’ enrollment in and completion of approved college courses. The program covers dual enrollment agreements with the University of Wyoming or a Wyoming community college under the state dual enrollment law. Payments would come from amounts appropriated by the legislature and could total no more than $10 million each school year. If approved claims exceed available funds, payments would be reduced proportionally based on each district’s share of completed credit hours. School districts, the University of Wyoming, and community colleges could not limit the number of dual enrollment courses in which a student enrolls under the referenced law. The department must distribute funds annually and report program results by October 1 each year.
Each school district must establish a teacher salary schedule with pay tables, experience steps, and education-based pay levels. The requirement covers teacher salaries paid by Wyoming school districts during school years 2026-2027 through 2028-2029. The schedule must ensure each district’s teacher salaries are at least the greater of the district’s model-based average teacher salary or up to 110 percent of the district’s average teacher salary from the prior school year. The text does not state that every individual teacher must receive the same salary or the maximum 110 percent amount. The requirement applies to school years 2026-2027 through 2028-2029 and takes effect immediately when the act becomes law.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 9Assigned Chapter Number 82Latest
- Mar 9Became Law without SignatureBecame Law
- Mar 6H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0056
- Mar 5S President Signed SEA No. 0056
- Vote recorded S Concur:Passed 31-0-0-0-0. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded H 3rd Reading:Passed 52-7-3-0-0. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded SF0081H3006: Amendment failed 26-32-4-0-0. Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded SF0081H3005: Amendment failed 25-32-4-1-0. Result: fail.Lower
- Mar 5S Concur:Passed 31-0-0-0-0
- Mar 5S Received for Concurrence
- Mar 5H 3rd Reading:Passed 52-7-3-0-0Passed 2nd Chamber
- Mar 4
- Vote recorded SF0081H3003: Amendment failed 13-46-3-0-0. Result: fail.Lower
- Mar 3H 2nd Reading:PassedMinor
- Mar 2H COW:PassedMinor
- Vote recorded H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 2H Placed on General File
- Mar 2H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0Minor
- Feb 27H04 - Education:Rerefer to H02 - AppropriationsMinor
- Vote recorded H04 - Education:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 6-2-1-0-0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 27H04 - Education:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 6-2-1-0-0Minor
- Feb 24H Introduced and Referred to H04 - EducationMinor
- Feb 24H Received for IntroductionMinor
- Feb 23S 3rd Reading:Passed 30-1-0-0-0Passed 1st Chamber
- Vote recorded S 3rd Reading:Passed 30-1-0-0-0. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded SF0081S3009: Amendment failed 6-25-0-0-0. Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded SF0081S3008: Amendment failed 13-18-0-0-0. Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded SF0081S3007: Amendment failed 9-21-1-0-0. Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded SF0081S3006: Amendment failed 8-22-1-0-0. Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded SF0081S3004: Amendment adopted 29-1-1-0-0. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded SF0081S3001: Amendment failed 5-25-1-0-0. Result: fail.Upper
- Feb 20S 2nd Reading:PassedMinor
- Feb 19S COW:PassedMinor
- Feb 17S Placed on General File
- Vote recorded S02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 4-0-1-0-0. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded S04 - Education:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 17S02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 4-0-1-0-0Minor
- Feb 17:Rerefer to S02 - AppropriationsMinor
- Feb 17S04 - Education:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0Minor
- Feb 13S Introduced and Referred to S04 - Education 31-0-0-0-0Minor
- Vote recorded S Introduced and Referred to S04 - Education 31-0-0-0-0. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 9S Received for IntroductionMinor
- Feb 6Bill Number AssignedIntroduced
EducationTaxes & BudgetGovernment & Ethics