[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",7297682,"mediaKeyId","2138636-61af514c5a342c88da1a5fb96c1e57b4","parentId",2138636,"title","Senate panel votes to add party labels to school board ballots over objections that it will politicize local boards","audioSeconds",3093,"startMs",3478000,"endMs",6571000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138636-61af514c5a342c88da1a5fb96c1e57b4&start=3478&end=6571","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138636-61af514c5a342c88da1a5fb96c1e57b4/thumbnail_3478000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/7297682/Wyoming/Senate-panel-votes-to-add-party-labels-to-school-board-ballots-over-objections-that-it-will-politicize-local-boards","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/7297682-ad9877a4117ef0469ad3c18b9483da2e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775935367&Signature=WRlAx7pgHXXs~FKNchtbxj7WXRRSvwNAaVkAce569eJdzdPOHKURzU7FBYACxIAZjJE5N2hDcss0Dih8jr0rxUVO6vywz~TCAajV5J9dqlszMAMgOq6mm3839EOmWmQBS7ScMRvSruebnKU5KL2Oe2g58aeekkm7sbY7U5X-S8ZZIsYwW~xgZRGQe~dCrfMSBzxJIRuly-zSuJr7ENuMrIy5pSX4XJQE7msn~J-FnHqt0oOajnpfPYo9a4l0VVHtNIOW4lOg2e1CpY0-pMA1WZnkprbNTE9x1qUR~IQt61DGwfr8tNwrPtaj6dFNCQ0T-tW~ldmtpy0aMCCKYgBdBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wyoming Legislature","date","2025-01-22T16:54:52.32Z","article","The Senate Education Committee voted to advance Senate File 98, a bill to require candidates for school board trustee to have their political party affiliation printed on the general-election ballot. The committee approved the measure on a 3–2 roll call and sent the bill to the full Senate.

Proponents, including Secretary of State Chuck Gray and several advocates, said listing party affiliation would give voters clearer cues about candidates' values and could improve engagement. \"This bill provides a transparent means by which voters can see the party affiliation of candidates for school board trustee,\" Secretary Gray told the committee, and he urged the panel to adopt rules clarifying when a candidate's party is determined for the ballot.

Supporters and some senators argued the label helps voters identify likely policy positions quickly and could increase turnout by connecting school board races to party mobilization. Those in favor also said the change would correct an existing inconsistency between students served by state-authorized charter schools and how central-office funds are currently allocated.

Opponents — including the Wyoming School Boards Association, the Equality State Policy Center, the Wyoming Education Association and several current and former school board members — warned the change would inject partisan dynamics into local school governance. Gail Simmons, with the nonpartisan group civics307, said she was \"absolutely in opposition to the idea of making our school boards, partisan,\" arguing that school boards should focus on students rather than party platforms.

Witnesses also raised practical concerns about implementation timing. Secretary Gray recommended the committee consider a rule or statutory cross-reference that ties the party label to a specific date in the election calendar (he suggested the start of the primary crossover period) to avoid last-minute party changes that could create inconsistent information on ballots.

The committee recorded the following votes on the do-pass recommendation: Senator Brennan — aye; Senator Olson — aye; Senator Rothfuss — no; Senator Scott — aye; Chairwoman Schueller — no. The committee chair said the bill will go to the Senate floor.

Committee debate reflected the split in public testimony: some senators said the change would improve voter information and participation; others said it would worsen polarization in local school governance and would not necessarily make voters more informed. Several witnesses urged the committee to consider other steps to increase voter participation rather than adding partisan labels to local school elections.

The measure now goes to the full Senate for consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Education Committee, January 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senate File 98 requires political party affiliation to appear on general-election ballots for school board trustee candidates. Supporters argued it increases transparency and may boost turnout; opponents said it will politicize local governance and not improve voter information.","taxTitle","Education Committee, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Wyoming","taxId",61168,"location","Wyoming","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":44,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},7297681,"Senate panel advances bill to send more district funds directly to charter schools, districts warn of shortfalls",3443,35000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138636-61af514c5a342c88da1a5fb96c1e57b4&start=35&end=3478","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138636-61af514c5a342c88da1a5fb96c1e57b4/thumbnail_35000.jpg","/articles/7297681/Wyoming/Senate-panel-advances-bill-to-send-more-district-funds-directly-to-charter-schools-districts-warn-of-shortfalls","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/7297681-48ba8e8937f9547c8bd53905e3b2722e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775935367&Signature=Dnz~T0A4YlIOAkUC-WqBNaqnhEzIcCIBwoaJLEXHZVw467-VCoUFbGmSGKks6SBx~WwpIzq30jTe26twnUfSugBGPy0wkHighmTPw-aiTy1LX4~~V7vVYhhA2zl5xuNZNUqC9ezu0OdKddOXvhta~pbHtpE8lRa-eE0K60gURCe8AFbLC~eW00CExKYoZTxGlnvFkJiBgxTeeEx8nchkq7KYtjyY59sjkdoYH8BlwmWeOaKo1AO1hVq3usoiS2LJQj7r8adleYVSut8SSQWMYlNYPL9R37sVZUNdcEauUsFQAhAEV8Sib5KRPps8eFp8iTqamKMBwtGB5L~DxQQ2vA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee on Jan. 22 advanced Senate File 73, a bill to change how certain district-level funding is allocated to public charter schools, voting to send the measure to the full Senate.

Supporters said the bill corrects an existing funding inequity by directing a proportional share of specified personnel and nonpersonnel components of the school funding model to the charter school that generates them. Opponents, including district finance officials and the Wyoming School Boards Association, said the change could shift hundreds of thousands of dollars away from districts that currently provide central services to district-authorized charter schools and leave districts with shortfalls until contracts are renegotiated.

The bill would calculate a charter school's share based on average daily membership (ADM) and flow the proportional amount to the school rather than retaining the funds at the district level, according to testimony from charter advocates. The measure does not alter other parts of the funding model that remain with districts, supporters said.

Tristan Green, chief financial officer for Albany County School District, told the committee he supports the bill but warned the outcome must not come \"at the expense of the districts.\" He said districts are already facing rising costs, including for special education, and asked lawmakers to ensure funding changes do not reduce services for district K–12 students. \"I do ask for your favorable consideration in this bill but not at the expense of the districts,\" Green said.

Carrie Klein, executive director of the Wyoming Public Charter School Association, told the committee the bill \"really addresses an important, funding inequity that's currently existing for public charter schools\" and that it would direct to the school the state dollars the school generates in the district's foundational model. Klein and other charter advocates said district- and state-authorized charter schools are different and that mutual agreements between authorizers and charter schools can (and should) govern how services are purchased when districts continue to provide administrative functions.

Several witnesses urged care in implementation. Brian Farmer, executive director of the Wyoming School Boards Association, argued that the state's prototypical funding model is built around school- and system-level resource blocks and that slicing central-office funding by ADM risks creating inconsistent funding across districts. \"We end up with inequity. We end up with a disparity in the way that we are funding entities that is not uniform,\" Farmer said, urging the committee to consider alternative approaches for state-authorized charters.

Committee members and witnesses discussed practical effects on negotiated contracts for district-authorized charter schools. Senators and witnesses noted a potential near-term shortfall in districts that have five-year contracts tied to the current funding baseline; witnesses said those contracts would need renegotiation if the bill became law. Albany County's testimony estimated the bill could shift roughly $300,000 between two local charter schools if enacted.

The committee voted to advance the bill. Recorded committee votes were: Senator Bridal—aye; Senator Olson—aye; Senator Rothfuss—aye; Senator Scott—aye; Chairwoman Schueller—aye. The committee chair said the measure will be taken up next on the Senate floor.

Committee discussion indicated support for the bill as a step toward equity, and several senators and witnesses recommended an interim study or recalibration of the funding model to examine long-term fixes and the possibility of creating shared back-office structures for charter schools.

The bill moves forward with directions from committee members to staff and interested parties to clarify implementation details, gather precise special-education cost data, and examine how district contracts should be treated during the transition period.","The Senate Education Committee voted to advance Senate File 73, which would allocate a proportional share of certain district-level funding to charter schools. Supporters called the change an equity fix; district officials and the Wyoming School Boards Association warned it could underfund district services and create short-term budget gaps.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6701240,"Senate Education panel advances bill to send a portion of district funds directly to charter schools",199,35580,235130,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138636-61af514c5a342c88da1a5fb96c1e57b4&start=35&end=235","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138636-61af514c5a342c88da1a5fb96c1e57b4/thumbnail_35580.jpg","/articles/6701240/Wyoming/Senate-Education-panel-advances-bill-to-send-a-portion-of-district-funds-directly-to-charter-schools","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6701240-72ac98dc8a5a98aa2b2936cae33f1dc8/orig.mp4?Expires=1775935367&Signature=g5ZTFtXBEGI2FRJgUmrNlUugPoZBzGvv5551Z~SpjNuqYh9XZjzWgKyTAOa-Ezew0e00HX8fw3SMCDDxbH8QtF7Sj0rhdZPlYub9KAa0XZPi~AxxhSq4E0pdFMUdoG7oTBTZiO3OrhahaObvZbmj-lsW4O2LwZM3VvVfH2JBIhuGTA20SHbt8d6t0DxFVI4nXUPR4XJb6ZPWC0ZgboDzEg3tYnLCnP5lEHrWupTfyV1QSdZLRXaaq9sQgKzYgX8fJ03O0X3zr8fB~aUbtehGDbnmi7CanHMbMXhHQUBUKusDn9ZnNiSykgP1FVunWh-v~VnaAyNnkPpxaalGA3eCag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","CHEYENNE — The Senate Education Committee voted to advance Senate File 73 on Jan. 20, a bill that would direct a proportional share of certain district-level funding to charter schools rather than retaining that portion at the district level.

Supporters told the committee the change would correct an inequity that leaves state-authorized and some district-authorized charter schools with fewer resources for essential school-level and personnel items. Opponents — including district finance officials and the Wyoming School Boards Association — said the bill risks underfunding district services and creating uneven funding across districts.

Tristan Green, chief financial officer for Albany County School District, testified he supports the policy goal but warned of consequences for district budgets. “I am in favor of this bill,” Green said, “but not at the expense of the districts.” He said some districts already struggle to cover rising costs and called special education spending a growing pressure; he offered to provide specific data later to committee staff. Green and other speakers described a scenario in which roughly $300,000 across two Albany County charter schools could shift from the district to the charters under the bill’s formula.

Carrie Klein, of the Wyoming Public Charter School Association, said the bill would allow charter schools to receive “their proportional allocation of the school funding model” for listed personnel and nonpersonnel components. Klein noted an existing separate statutory practice allowing charter schools to pay up to 3% to an authorizer for oversight — a different pot of money than the model components SF73 would redirect — and said districts and charter schools should negotiate contracts in good faith where services are provided by a district.

Janine Baytowski, chair of the Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board (participating remotely), said state-authorized charters often perform their own central-office functions and currently must cover those back-office costs out of dollars intended for instruction. “Does it help the charter schools? You betcha it does,” she told the committee, but also urged a full review of statutes to reflect the differences between state- and district-authorized charters.

Opponents framed the question as a school‑finance design problem. Brian Farmer, executive director of the Wyoming School Boards Association, said the state’s funding model is built on “prototypical” school and district blocks rather than a strict per‑student dollar and cautioned that carving district-level resources into per‑student pieces could create disparate funding across districts and between district- and state-authorized charters. “I think there is ample evidence that there is some piece of funding missing for our charter schools,” Farmer said, but he urged lawmakers to solve the underlying model math rather than repurpose blocks of central-office funding by ADM proportion.

Other witnesses urged interim study or recalibration of the funding model so the state can craft a longer-term, systemwide solution. Marguerite Herman, an elected school board member who has authorized district charter renewals, suggested treating stand‑alone charter schools using the same prototypical, cost‑based approach used for small districts.

Committee discussion reflected the split: some members said SF73 moves policy toward greater equity for students attending charter schools; others flagged transition problems for existing five-year contracts between districts and district‑authorized charters. Senator Ralphs and others urged statutory or interim work so existing contracts are not unfairly upended while new funding flows are implemented.

Votes at a glance: The committee took a roll-call vote to advance Senate File 73. Recorded votes on the motion to pass were: Senator Bridal — Aye; Senator Olson — Aye; (record shows “Senator Office” — Aye); Senator Scott — Aye; Chairwoman Schueller — Aye. The committee reported the bill favorably (5 ayes, 0 nays).

The committee indicated appetite for further work during recalibration and for informal negotiations among districts, charter schools and the Department of Education to address short‑term contract timing and longer‑term prototypical funding questions.

","The Senate Education Committee voted Jan. 20 to advance Senate File 73, which would route a proportional share of certain district-level funds to charter schools rather than leaving that money with resident school districts.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6701238,"Senate committee approves listing party affiliation for school board ballots after heated debate",260,3486330,3746480,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2138636-61af514c5a342c88da1a5fb96c1e57b4&start=3486&end=3746","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2138636-61af514c5a342c88da1a5fb96c1e57b4/thumbnail_3486330.jpg","/articles/6701238/Wyoming/Senate-committee-approves-listing-party-affiliation-for-school-board-ballots-after-heated-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6701238-ec00b18d32631a89a22ac0f24f1d6774/orig.mp4?Expires=1775935367&Signature=lpLMMxA3GT6FdkVzLqw4M-B7TaQMBJEf4mZMBJVaMz2uRDLdTrRucHSeTt~AKmPIsPJ7-2rACe1BZklZFRt0W9OTc6mCMdB9dBHUm32Yrg7AzLIdqv9i4DoDWaabeSjiQJMlFapvguRU-abpczgT2L0DLwJPLh12jxN6HXOBOIWNSAwJJfYxnmIpbpZcJ7ZUduImo-WjViB~rUgGNRjLyD3izig4FJqic-AWcAtj-ELZ6heUeaDBxRvgUlzrZPDQXfA~Cb-1eCktnsklp-ehrytMr9rQ0WTKbr3~H1JP3~kHaC5qLOEJ6lgU83OoFtPd5C-umAsBwa3sIYqdkUOVjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","CHEYENNE — The Senate Education Committee on Jan. 20 approved Senate File 98, a bill that would print a school board candidate’s party affiliation on the general election ballot. The committee vote was 3–2.

Proponents said adding party labels increases transparency and helps voters align candidates with party platforms. Opponents said school boards should remain nonpartisan to preserve local deliberation and reduce partisan pressure.

Secretary of State Chuck Gray testified in support and urged the committee to set a clear date for determining a candidate’s party affiliation to avoid last‑minute party changes during the primary crossover period. “I’m in complete and total support of Senate File 98,” Gray said, and suggested using the day the crossover period begins as the reference date for a candidate’s party label on the general-election ballot.

Support also came from the state superintendent’s office; Dickie Schoenher, speaking for Superintendent Megan Degenfelder, said the superintendent supports the bill as a transparency measure.

Those opposing the bill included Gail Simmons of Civics 307 and the group WhyVote (nonpartisan), which argued party labels would encourage tribal voting and inject outside political agendas into local school governance. “School boards are always focused on the well‑being of our children, not political ideologies,” Simmons told the committee.

The Equality State Policy Center also urged opposition, arguing that partisan labels increase divisiveness and reduce the deliberative space needed for community governance. The Wyoming School Boards Association and the Wyoming Education Association similarly urged the committee to keep school board races nonpartisan.

Supporters said party labels can make local races easier for voters to cross-reference with party platforms; critics said those heuristics make voters less informed about individual candidates’ qualifications. Joseph Martinez, a Fremont County resident, said party labels are not a barrier to independents and argued they provide helpful information for voters. Jeff Daugherty, a former public-education official, spoke in favor of the bill, saying it would help voters find candidates who align with community values.

During committee discussion, some senators said the change would increase turnout by engaging party organizations; others said it would deepen partisan conflict in local school affairs. The committee ultimately advanced the bill. Recorded committee votes on Senate File 98 were: Senator Brennan — Aye; Senator Olson — Aye; Senator Rothfuss — No; Senator Scott — Aye; Chairwoman Schueller — No. The committee reported the bill favorably (3 ayes, 2 nays).

Committee members and witnesses repeatedly urged the secretary of state’s office to provide implementation details — chiefly how to lock party affiliation when candidate filing and primary crossover deadlines can overlap — before the bill moves further.

","Senate File 98 passed the Senate Education Committee by 3–2 after testimony for and against listing party affiliation on school board ballots. Supporters, including the secretary of state, said party labels improve transparency; opponents said labels risk injecting partisanship into local school governance and will not increase turnout.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate panel votes to add party labels to school board ballots over objections that it will politicize local boards

Senate panel advances bill to send more district funds directly to charter schools, districts warn of shortfalls

Senate Education panel advances bill to send a portion of district funds directly to charter schools

Senate committee approves listing party affiliation for school board ballots after heated debate