Keeping children a priority in Wyoming

It is difficult to read many of the facts below specific to Hot Springs County Schools, unless you realize what we may lose as a community.  Can we live with fewer teachers, fewer bus drivers, without sports and activities, without agriculture programs, music programs, computer programs?  Can we live with large class sizes in our younger grades?  How about adding to an economic downturn in our community by reducing the number of educational professionals who make their home here, buy goods and services here?  While these questions are yet to be determined in this session of the Wyoming legislature, many of them could certainly become reality with the bills proposed.  Budget shortfalls will challenge this legislature.  Without solutions a lack of funding could challenge our students’ futures.

I understand the need to adjust in difficult times, and support legislation that moves our state toward long term solutions.  In Wyoming, with a “boom and bust” economy we can predict that there will be times that are more difficult than others.  The current bills are focused on reduction of budgets that will most likely reduce programs, especially in small districts like ours.  

In last week’s IR, our local legislators discussed proposed legislation. I appreciate these men for service, but I have to respectfully disagree with their positions on the discussed bills.  SJ9 removes education as a priority from the Wyoming Constitution, by allowing the legislature to determine adequate funding for districts.  Should it pass, it will go before the voters because it is a change to the Wyoming Constitution.  I support any measure put before the voters.  Where I disagree, is that the current situation creates a “super legislature” in charge of funding.  The Wyoming Constitution determines the level of appropriate funding for schools, and the Wyoming Supreme Court upholds the constitution.  The bill is aimed to allow the legislature to determine the appropriate amount of funding without having to consult the Supreme Court on constitutionality.  Basically, every time we elect a new legislature, the measure is up for interpretation.  This is an area that the legislature has struggled with before. The legislation enacted to remove the previous Superintendent of Public Instruction in Wyoming, was deemed unconstitutional because it was a body of elected officials, attempting to remove another elected official, elected by the voting public.

Senator Agar was quoted about his amendment that “funds appropriated to the education of students can not be used to sue the legislative body,” brought in response to the continual threat of a lawsuit.  Respectively, for clarity, HSCSD #1 has never threatened to sue the legislature.  The District would prefer to work with the legislature to find solutions.  

Either way, the legislature has tremendous ability to manipulate funding the way that they choose.  Don Dihle, a thirty five year education business manager, outlined in the February 10th edition of the Casper Star, how $2.7 billion earmarked for the school foundation account since 2006 has been redirected by the legislature.  The Wyoming funding model includes an external cost adjustment (ECA) component within it.  The legislature has decided to not include this part of the funding model in recent years.  From 2010 to 2015 they did not provide this part of the funding model, thereby reducing funding.  Last year they further reduced funding by 1% in addition to no ECA.   

It appears that our legislative body as a whole seems determined to cut their way out of the problem.  What could be lost?  Wyoming’s aggregated score on the National Assessment for Education Progress (NAEP also known as the Nation’s Report Card) ranks Wyoming #1 in our country.  In a state with many students with low socioeconomic status (Hot Springs County approximately 50%) we are tops in closing the achievement gap. State Superintendent Balow recently released that Wyoming currently ranks 7th in the nation in education, with all six higher-ranking states on the east coast.

Locally, the District has seen tremendous gains.  TMS had five of their nine scores rank in the top ten in Wyoming, and the principal was named the National Distinguished Principal for Wyoming.  The graduating class at HSCHS placed 100% of its graduates in military, postsecondary, work, or trade schools from the class of 2016 to name some highlights.

Many of this session’s bills have painted educators in a poor light.  Based on results, I find that difficult to accept.  It is estimated that given some of the current proposed legislation the state could lose more than 1000 quality teachers.  I will close by reiterating that I appreciate our local legislators and their service.  For the legislature as a whole, when they enact legislation that is aimed at schools, I would ask that they remember the children in those schools, because that is who ultimately is affected.  In a legislative session that has centered its discussions around lost resources to our great state, let us remember to not lose one more; our children are the greatest resource in every state.