Public education in Wyoming

K-12 education in Wyoming

Education facts

State superintendent: Megan Degenfelder

Number of students: 94,488

Number of teachers: 7,378

Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:12.8

Number of school districts: 49

Number of schools: 348

Graduation rate: 82%

Per-pupil spending: $16,698

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: These statistics are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given were the most recent as of October 2022.

The Wyoming public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2022, Wyoming had 94,488 students enrolled in a total of 348 schools in 49 school districts. There were 7,378 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 13 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. In 2020, Wyoming spent on average $16,698 per pupil. The state's graduation rate was 82 percent in the 2018-2019 school year.

General information

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 compares to the national level for the most recent years for which data is available.

Public education in Wyoming
State	Schools	Districts	Students	Teachers	Teacher to pupil ratio	Per pupil spending*
Wyoming	348	49	94,488	7,378	1:12.8	$16,698
United States	90,323	13,194	47,755,383	2,783,705	1:16	$13,494
*Per pupil spending data reflects information reported for fiscal year 2020. Sources: Education statistics in the United States U.S. Census Bureau, "U.S. School System Current Spending Per Pupil by Region: Fiscal Year 2020" National Center for Education Statistics, "Fast Facts: High school graduation rates"

Academic performance

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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

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.

Percent of students scoring at or above proficient, 2012-2013
	Math - Grade 4	Math - Grade 8	Reading - Grade 4	Reading - Grade 8
Wyoming	48%	38%	37%	38%
Idaho	40%	36%	33%	38%
Montana	45%	40%	35%	40%
Utah	44%	36%	37%	39%
United States	41%	34%	34%	34%
Source: United States Department of Education, ED Data Express, "State Tables"

Graduation, ACT and SAT scores

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.

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.

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.

Comparison table for graduation rates and test scores, 2012-2013
State	Graduation rate, 2013		Average ACT composite, 2013		Average SAT composite, 2013
	Percent	Quintile ranking**	Score	Participation rate	Score	Participation rate
Wyoming	77%	Fourth	19.8	100%	1757	4%
Idaho	N/A	N/A	22.1	49%	1364	99%
Montana	84.4%	Third	21.3	72%	1595	25%
Utah	83%	Third	20.7	100%	1684	6%
United States	81.4%		20.9	54%	1498	50%
**Graduation rates for states in the first quintile ranked in the top 20 percent nationally. Similarly, graduation rates for states in the fifth quintile ranked in the bottom 20 percent nationally. Sources: United States Department of Education, "ED Data Express" ACT.org, "2013 ACT National and State Scores" The Commonwealth Foundation, "SAT scores by state, 2013"

Dropout rate

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.

Educational choice options

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

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Comparison of financial figures for school systems, fiscal year 2013
State	Percentage of budget	Per pupil spending	Revenue sources
			Percent federal funds	Percent state funds	Percent local funds
Wyoming	10.9%	$15,700	6.7%	52%	41.3%
Idaho	24.2%	$6,791	11.8%	63.4%	24.7%
Montana	15.5%	$10,625	12.8%	47.7%	39.5%
Utah	23.6%	$6,555	9.5%	52%	38.5%
United States	19.8%	$10,700	9.1%	45.6%	45.3%
Sources: NASBO, "State Expenditure Report" (Table 8). U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 5 and Table 8).

Revenue breakdowns

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.

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.

Revenues by source, fiscal year 2013 (amounts in thousands)
State	Federal revenue	State revenue	Local revenue	Total revenue
Wyoming	$113,501	$881,114	$698,563	$1,693,178
Idaho	$238,656	$1,278,155	$498,783	$2,015,594
Montana	$210,593	$788,329	$652,713	$1,651,635
Utah	$409,774	$2,235,917	$1,656,221	$4,301,912
United States	$54,367,305	$272,916,892	$270,645,402	$597,929,599
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 1)

Expenditure breakdowns

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.

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.

Expenditures by type, fiscal year 2012 (amounts in thousands)
State	General expenditures	Capital outlay	Other	Total expenditures
Wyoming	$1,432,216	$213,239	$10,455	$1,655,911
Idaho	$1,854,556	$135,343	$62,396	$2,052,295
Montana	$1,504,531	$120,771	$29,324	$1,654,625
Utah	$3,779,760	$746,262	$264,051	$4,790,073
United States	$527,096,473	$48,773,386	$25,897,123	$601,766,981
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, "Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2011–12 (Fiscal Year 2012)" (Table 5)

Personnel salaries

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

Note: Salaries given are averages for the state. Salaries may vary between a state's urban, suburban, and rural districts and should be adjusted for cost of living. For example, a MacIver Institute study of average teacher salaries in 60 metropolitan areas found that salaries in New York City were the third-highest in absolute figures but 59th-highest when adjusted for the cost of living.

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.

Estimated average salaries for teachers (in constant dollars**)
	1999-2000	2009-2010	2011-2012	2012-2013	Percent difference
Wyoming	$46,638	$59,628	$58,174	$57,920	24.2%
Idaho	$48,578	$49,404	$49,359	$49,734	2.4%
Montana	$43,896	$48,845	$49,354	$49,999	13.9%
Utah	$47,757	$48,980	$48,961	$49,393	3.4%
United States	$57,133	$58,925	$56,340	$56,383	-1.3%
**"Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, adjusted to a school-year basis. The CPI does not account for differences in inflation rates from state to state."

Organizations

State agencies

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.

The mission statement of the Wyoming Department of Education reads:

“

The Wyoming Department of Education will serve as a supportive partner to districts, schools, and communities to maximize student achievement, facilitate teacher and leader effectiveness, and ensure that every Wyoming student has safe access to an excellent education that prepares them for life after secondary school. Through the use of this collaborative model, Wyoming will take its place as a nationwide leader in public education.

”

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. The board has 12 members, including the Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Unions

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.

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

Government sector lobbying

See also: Wyoming government sector lobbying

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

Studies and reports

Quality Counts 2014

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.

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

Public education report cards, 2014
State	Chance for success	K-12 achievement	Standards, assessments and accountability	The teaching profession	School finance	Transitions and alignment
Wyoming	79.9 (B-)	70.0 (C-)	79.3 (C+)	66.7 (D+)	90.3 (A-)	78.6 (C+)
Idaho	74.2 (C)	69.8 (C-)	86.6 (B+)	60.5 (D-)	60.0 (D-)	71.4 (C-)
Montana	76.3 (C)	69.7 (C-)	76.3 (C)	69.4 (D+)	73.0 (C)	60.7 (D-)
Utah	79.1 (C+)	69.1 (D+)	81.7 (B-)	64.5 (D)	65.2 (D)	89.3 (B+)
U.S. averages	77.3 (C+)	70.2 (C-)	85.3 (B)	72.5 (C)	75.5 (C)	81.1 (B-)
Source: Education Week, "Quality Counts 2014" A full discussion of how these numbers were generated can be found here.

State Budget Solutions education study

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

See also: School board elections portal

District types

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.

School board composition

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.

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

Term limits

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.

Elections

See also: Wyoming school board elections, 2025

No Wyoming school districts within Ballotpedia's coverage scope are holding school board elections in 2025.

Our coverage scope for local elections continues to grow, and you can use Ballotpedia's sample ballot tool to see what school board elections we are covering in your area.

Path to the ballot

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

• 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.

Campaign finance

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.

Recent legislation

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

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

In the news

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.

Public education in Wyoming - Google News

See also

• 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

• 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

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