Wyoming Education Briefing — October 16, 2026
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Good morning. This is your five-minute Wyoming education briefing for Friday, October 16. The State Board of Education adopted its wish list for the 2027 legislative session, Cheyenne got a new statewide Teacher of the Year, and southwest Wyoming's biggest school district is reshaping its board in real time — all while early voting for November 3 is already underway. Here are the stories to know.
1. State Board Adopts Its 2027 Legislative Platform
At its meeting yesterday, the Wyoming State Board of Education unanimously adopted its 2027 legislative platform, asking lawmakers to "fully fund basic education and address persistent inequities in the state school funding
4. Natrona County Board Weighs Big CTE Expansion
Natrona County School District 1 trustees heard plans to grow Career and Technical Education — new industry-recognized credentials, the We Build Wyoming partnership, and a mobile lab bringing career exploration into elementary schools. Statewide, career training keeps pulling dollars: Laramie County Community College picked up nearly $69,000 in Perkins grants this month.
5. New Bachelor's Pathway Opens for Rural Wyoming Students
Western Wyoming College partnered with the University of Arizona Global Campus on a reduced-tuition path — $295 per credit — to online bachelor's degrees for students, employees and eligible family members, aimed at working adults in rural Wyoming.
6. Cheyenne's Deandra Tygret Finalist for Assistant Principal of the Year
McCormick Junior High assistant principal Deandra Tygret was selected to represent Wyoming's Southeast region as a finalist for 2027 Wyoming Assistant Principal of the Year; the statewide honoree is chosen in early January.
On the radar: The superintendent debate aired last night — Cordova vs. Harshman, 30 minutes on Wyoming PBS; a full recap is in the works. Prop 1: early voting is underway through Nov. 3; the property-tax exemption remains the biggest education-funding question on the ballot. The Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration meets in Casper Oct. 21–22.
That's your five-minute Wyoming education briefing for October 16. Know the issue before the meeting starts. system." The platform organizes priorities into three buckets — building strong foundations, supporting evidence-based learning, and promoting student well-being — and seeks restored Transition to Kindergarten funding, investments in mastery-based learning, and updated math standards ahead of the 2027 session.
2. Sweetwater County Voters Size Up School Board Candidates
Candidates for Sweetwater County School District No. 1's board made their case at a Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce forum Wednesday night, with four seats on the November 3 ballot. Five candidates seek the four-year seats including incumbent Laurel Gandy; six run for the two-year terms. Two nights earlier the board filled its vacant Farson-Eden seat, unanimously appointing educator Patty Mitchelson, who will serve through November 2028.
3. Brian Cox of Cheyenne Named 2027 Wyoming Teacher of the Year
Superintendent Megan Degenfelder surprised Cheyenne South High agriculture teacher Brian Cox at a Sunday celebration in Casper, naming him the 2027 Wyoming Teacher of the Year. Cox will serve as a statewide ambassador for the profession. The ceremony also recognized all 40 district Teachers of the Year plus Milken Educator winner Garrid Halsey of Laramie Middle School.
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