Senate Education panel creates select committee to recalibrate school finance model, removes charter-study language
February 14, 2025 | Education Committee, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Wyoming
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CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Wyoming Senate Education Committee on Feb. 14 approved House Bill 316, establishing a bipartisan select recalibration committee charged with recalibrating the state's education resource block grant model and appropriating $920,000 to the Legislative Service Office (LSO) for consultants and committee expenses.
The bill, carried to the committee from management council, requires a six-member slate from each chamber, with minority-party representation, and calls for appointments to be made by March 30, 2025. The committee will select co-chairs from each house and may request data from state agencies, school districts and the school data advisory committee to support the recalibration work.
Tanya Heitrich, Legislative Service Office operations administrator, told the committee “this bill comes to you from management council and it establishes a select recalibration committee comprised of 6 members on each side of the house, with 1 of those members being, from the minority party.” She said the appropriation covers consulting expertise and committee expenses and that the committee will meet roughly 12 days over the interim to develop recommendations.
LSO senior school plans analyst Matthew Wilmarth said the consultants and LSO will not simply rely on current district spending to set component prices. “The model is generally not based upon school district expenditures per se,” Wilmarth said, adding that consultants compare model allocations to district expenditures as part of ongoing monitoring and to inform recalibration work.
Why it matters: The recalibration is both a statutory task and a constitutional obligation tied to the Campbell school-finance litigation; the court has directed the Legislature to define a cost-based basket of educational services and fund it. The committee's work will determine the component prices used in the state's funding formula and inform recommendations for the 2026-27 school year.
Key details and debate
- Committee composition and timing: The bill requires appointments by the speakers of the House and the Senate; appointments must be made by March 30, 2025. Heitrich said the committee will meet roughly 12 days over the interim and that LSO plans a legislative school to brief members on background and model mechanics.
- Data and consultants: The bill directs state agencies and districts to provide data to LSO and its consultants. Wilmarth noted management council previously authorized a desk audit by Dr. Pykis and Alan Oden; that audit is expected to conclude in April. LSO said the consultants will review price components, external cost adjustments and may recommend indices for inflation adjustments.
- Appropriation and timeline: The bill appropriates $920,000 to LSO for consulting and committee expenses. LSO staff said recommendations will be aimed at prices for implementation in the 2026-27 school year.
- Virtual education and charter schools: Management council added language directing consultants to study virtual education and to consider charter schools. Brian Farmer of the Wyoming School Boards Association urged the committee to treat virtual programs and charters as parts of the public-education system and to examine whether the basket-of-goods and costs differ. Carrie Klein, executive director of the Wyoming Association of Public Charter Schools, said charters should be part of the conversation because they are public schools and "we look forward to this conversation as well."
Amendments and votes
- Senator Scott proposed an amendment that would have set an "as of" date for data used in adjustments, required the Legislature to set a statutory inflation multiplier for total block-grant funding, and tied funding changes to the available appropriation. LSO staff warned the proposal conflicted with existing statutory processes for external cost adjustments and raised equity issues for districts that receive local foundation funding (recapture districts). The amendment was rejected on a voice vote.
- Senator Olson offered an amendment to remove the charter-school language from the study; the committee approved that amendment by voice vote.
- Final action: On a roll call the committee passed House Bill 316 as amended. Senators voting aye were Brennan, Olson, Rothfuss, Scott and Chairwoman Schueller (5 ayes). The bill will be re-referred to the Appropriations Committee because it contains an appropriation.
Discussion vs. decision
The record shows extensive discussion about scope (virtual education, charter schools), data access, consultant selection and inflation adjustments. Formal actions recorded in the transcript are the two floor motions on amendments (one failed, one passed) and the committee's final "do pass as amended" recommendation.
Next steps
Because the bill carries an appropriation, LSO reminded the committee it will be re-referred to Appropriations. The committee did not designate a floor sponsor in the transcript; committee members discussed who might carry it to the Senate floor.
The bill, carried to the committee from management council, requires a six-member slate from each chamber, with minority-party representation, and calls for appointments to be made by March 30, 2025. The committee will select co-chairs from each house and may request data from state agencies, school districts and the school data advisory committee to support the recalibration work.
Tanya Heitrich, Legislative Service Office operations administrator, told the committee “this bill comes to you from management council and it establishes a select recalibration committee comprised of 6 members on each side of the house, with 1 of those members being, from the minority party.” She said the appropriation covers consulting expertise and committee expenses and that the committee will meet roughly 12 days over the interim to develop recommendations.
LSO senior school plans analyst Matthew Wilmarth said the consultants and LSO will not simply rely on current district spending to set component prices. “The model is generally not based upon school district expenditures per se,” Wilmarth said, adding that consultants compare model allocations to district expenditures as part of ongoing monitoring and to inform recalibration work.
Why it matters: The recalibration is both a statutory task and a constitutional obligation tied to the Campbell school-finance litigation; the court has directed the Legislature to define a cost-based basket of educational services and fund it. The committee's work will determine the component prices used in the state's funding formula and inform recommendations for the 2026-27 school year.
Key details and debate
- Committee composition and timing: The bill requires appointments by the speakers of the House and the Senate; appointments must be made by March 30, 2025. Heitrich said the committee will meet roughly 12 days over the interim and that LSO plans a legislative school to brief members on background and model mechanics.
- Data and consultants: The bill directs state agencies and districts to provide data to LSO and its consultants. Wilmarth noted management council previously authorized a desk audit by Dr. Pykis and Alan Oden; that audit is expected to conclude in April. LSO said the consultants will review price components, external cost adjustments and may recommend indices for inflation adjustments.
- Appropriation and timeline: The bill appropriates $920,000 to LSO for consulting and committee expenses. LSO staff said recommendations will be aimed at prices for implementation in the 2026-27 school year.
- Virtual education and charter schools: Management council added language directing consultants to study virtual education and to consider charter schools. Brian Farmer of the Wyoming School Boards Association urged the committee to treat virtual programs and charters as parts of the public-education system and to examine whether the basket-of-goods and costs differ. Carrie Klein, executive director of the Wyoming Association of Public Charter Schools, said charters should be part of the conversation because they are public schools and "we look forward to this conversation as well."
Amendments and votes
- Senator Scott proposed an amendment that would have set an "as of" date for data used in adjustments, required the Legislature to set a statutory inflation multiplier for total block-grant funding, and tied funding changes to the available appropriation. LSO staff warned the proposal conflicted with existing statutory processes for external cost adjustments and raised equity issues for districts that receive local foundation funding (recapture districts). The amendment was rejected on a voice vote.
- Senator Olson offered an amendment to remove the charter-school language from the study; the committee approved that amendment by voice vote.
- Final action: On a roll call the committee passed House Bill 316 as amended. Senators voting aye were Brennan, Olson, Rothfuss, Scott and Chairwoman Schueller (5 ayes). The bill will be re-referred to the Appropriations Committee because it contains an appropriation.
Discussion vs. decision
The record shows extensive discussion about scope (virtual education, charter schools), data access, consultant selection and inflation adjustments. Formal actions recorded in the transcript are the two floor motions on amendments (one failed, one passed) and the committee's final "do pass as amended" recommendation.
Next steps
Because the bill carries an appropriation, LSO reminded the committee it will be re-referred to Appropriations. The committee did not designate a floor sponsor in the transcript; committee members discussed who might carry it to the Senate floor.
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