EVANSTON — On Wednesday, Feb. 26, the Wyoming Education Association (WEA) and eight school districts won a huge victory when District Judge Peter Froelicher ruled that the state of Wyoming failed to provide appropriate education funding per the Wyoming Constitution and must now take steps to modify the funding model.

Eight school districts, including Uinta County School District #1, Lincoln County School District #1 and Sweetwater County school districts #1 and #2, joined as plaintiffs in the case. The lawsuit was filed in 2022 because of consistent underfunding in violation of Wyoming Supreme Court precedents that date back to 1980.

“This is a great victory for Wyoming students and families,” WEA President Kim Amen said. “It’s a step forward in ensuring that every student in Wyoming has the visionary and unsurpassed education that they are entitled to by our state’s Constitution. Meeting the constitutional requirement means giving every student the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their background or circumstances. It’s about empowering educators with the resources, support, and respect they deserve and ensuring that students are equipped with the skills, knowledge and critical thinking abilities necessary to succeed.”

Last week’s ruling came after a four-week trial that concluded in July 2024, Froelicher ruled in favor of all six of the educator’s arguments for why the current funding model is unconstitutional. Froelicher wrote in his ruling that the state “failed to maintain a constitutionally compliant system by” not properly funding the actual costs of school districts to provide quality educational goods and services; not properly adjusting to the effects of inflation; not providing adequate salaries in order for the school districts to recruit and retain personnel; not providing funding for mental health counselors, school resource officers, nutritional programs and computers; not adequately and evenly assessing school facilities for educational suitability; and allowing unequal and inadequate school facilities to exist for too long of a period.

The court ordered the state to modify its funding model to remedy the constitutional violations and the court will maintain jurisdiction over the case until that occurs.

Froelicher added to his ruling: “It is therefore ordered that the State modify the funding model and the school facilities financing system in manners consistent with this Order to assure the school financing system for operations and for school facilities are constitutional. The Court notes, because 2025 is a recalibration year, there is an excellent window of opportunity to address these issues.”

UCSD #1 Superintendent Ryan Thomas said he hopes they see immediate adjustments in funding based on inflation. He added that base salaries in the district are currently way below average salaries and, in the 2022-23 school year, they did not receive a cost-of- living increase, which should be done annually.

“The legislature ignored the law and the recommendations of the Joint Appropriations Committee (JAC),” Thomas said. “The JAC recommended an 8.5% increase in funding for professional salaries and for non-professional staff. The legislature now has a chance to act in good faith and adjust the funding. Also, it is critical the funding is based on the costs of inflation.”