WY SF 81

Description

This act implements the 2025 cost-of-education study, as modified by the Legislature, and codifies the education resource block grant model that allocates funding for all K-12 public schools. The act requires school districts to expend funds generated for teaching personnel only on instructional purposes and authorizes districts to establish an instructional reserve account to transfer unexpended and unencumbered instructional funds. The act modifies statutes governing cash reserves and expenditure restrictions for funds distributed through the school foundation program. The act modifies reimbursement and payment schedules for special education, transportation, retirement, and entitlement amounts. The act provides an appropriation of two hundred seventy‑five million sixty‑five thousand nine hundred fifty‑five dollars ($275,065,955.00) from the public school foundation program account to fund public K-12 public education. This act creates a dual enrollment grant program by which school districts may seek and receive reimbursement for amounts expended on students enrolling in higher-education courses under an agreement between the school district and a community college or the University of Wyoming. This appropriation includes ten million dollars ($10,000,000.00) per year for the dual enrollment grant program created by this act. The Department of Education is required to promulgate rules to implement the program. The act requires school districts to establish teacher salary schedules for school years 2026-2027 through 2028-2029, ensuring teachers receive the greater of: (1) the average teacher salary established by the education resource block grant model; or (2) up to 110% of the average teacher salary paid by the district in the preceding school year. The act continues the Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration through December 31, 2026; the Select Committee must study mental health supports, school safety and security personnel, school nutrition programs, and technology. The act repeals provisions and makes conforming amendments to existing statutes. Comments: This act has split effective dates. Provisions continuing the Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration and requiring school districts to establish specified salary schedules are effective immediately. The remainder of the act is effective July 1, 2026. The act amends a major program, K-12 public school finance. The act requires reporting. By October 1 of each year, the Wyoming Department of Education must report to the Joint Education Interim Committee on the dual enrollment grant program created in this act. The act also requires the Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration to report its recommendations to the Legislature. The act imposes various reporting requirements on school districts. The act continues the Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration until December 31, 2026.

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