[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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",6220174,"mediaKeyId","3618288-f7e2915bb5e66fac49600d86ef90b0b2","parentId",3618288,"title","Charter school growth raises lease, funding and oversight questions; state authorizer, districts urge clearer review authority","audioSeconds",719,"startMs",6399000,"endMs",7118000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618288-f7e2915bb5e66fac49600d86ef90b0b2&start=6399&end=7118","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618288-f7e2915bb5e66fac49600d86ef90b0b2/thumbnail_6399000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6220174/Wyoming/Charter-school-growth-raises-lease-funding-and-oversight-questions-state-authorizer-districts-urge-clearer-review-authority","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220174-d0e6ba2bdbfc528ca1c643f8ec33d452/orig.mp4?Expires=1770582331&Signature=OxpnX6-zQwX4fBgpNsAWdLjLRu82q4y-MYVh9grqQiIT00hQ3QrOI3XvG8mJCwtEdU~t1SHP7ngwMLCBa9cWQ~qS8fmop7xAAXBurHbyrcGG~yTTjOL8w8Ya8h-GBpuf1U-Z4xoJc3lVH2Qy31DXLKCTws5OiJtmDPoj9DRb~6XuPuyc05LojNu26A2vg1WPhGjF7YzFoaPzO~nNdj9Zprsl9wL2u9LBuP3Kua0DkX7HiHgWJDt8g25i4jqCvkXn8Mn-3EwpgMhvxLo1xkanzJOHxJvvOhlO~gaYBtlmS4LZBya-Ed~mG9tsDh3FHY5dt-d-5NhOMZysQ8jgbvUkIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wyoming Legislature","date","2025-05-31T06:57:39Z","article","The Select Committee on School Facilities took a focused briefing on charter schools: how they are authorized, how the state funds operations and facilities, and how lease reimbursements are calculated and paid.

Who authorizes and how charters are funded

Tanya Heitrich and Matt Wilmarth of the Legislative Service Office summarized statutory authority (Wyoming Statute 21-3-303) and explained that charter schools are public schools within the district in which they operate; they must deliver the required state student services and employ licensed teachers. Charter schools may be authorized by the local district board or by the Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board (the state authorizer). The 2021 and 2023 sessions modified charter statutes, and the legislature removed the three-year waiting period for lease reimbursement in recent sessions.

Funding entitlements and figures presented to the committee

Mister Wilmarth told the committee charter schools are entitled to school-level resources generated under the Education Resource Block Grant model and are also eligible for categorical reimbursements (special education, transportation, isolation, maintenance). Statewide for school year 2024–25 the committee was shown an estimated total state funding to charter schools of about $17,659,000 and a combined net ADM of about 1,214 students. LSO staff estimated additional central-office funding that will be proportionally entitled to charter schools beginning in school year 2025–26 at roughly $1,400,000 (an internal proxy to show the district-held central-office dollars that will be redistributed).

Leasing, authorizing fees and contingency proposals

Shelby Carlson of the State Construction Department explained lease reimbursements are paid immediately when a charter school comes online (the 3-year delay was removed in recent legislation) and that the department now pays quarterly to allow truing-up as operation & maintenance (O&M) amounts are finalized by the Department of Education. The State Charter School Authorizing Board can assess an authorizing fee (up to 3%); for 2024–25 the state authorizer assessed 0.5% to state-authorized schools, which generated about $37,500 — far short of the authorizer’s annual budget (FY26 estimated at ~$711,403, including two new staff positions). Carlson proposed a charter-school contingency fund of approximately $1,150,000 to allow the department to meet immediate lease obligations when new charters open.

District and authorizer perspectives

District representatives (Laramie County School District #1, Albany County #1, Fremont County #38) told the committee that charter schools have widely varying missions and facility needs: some charter schools occupy former district buildings, others lease privately owned space, and some districts have funded modular units or invested in improvements to meet charter-specific programming (for example, career-technical education in Fremont 38). District witnesses cautioned that former district buildings taken offline for capacity or consolidation reasons are sometimes later used as charter facilities; they said accessibility, acreage and modern design guidelines matter for reuse. Laramie County officials described certain lease structures in which private developers funded renovation up front and recover costs through lease fees, and noted potential long-term consequences (for instance, a charter’s eventual purchase of an improved building could remove that asset from the district inventory).

Authorizing-board officials (Janine Teske, chair) said the board’s contract process for new charters now includes stronger facility clauses and requires schools to seek board consent for post-contract changes of location; the board can deny applications, require corrective plans or amend contracts where facilities are inadequate. Teske and board members said they are working to strengthen the authorizer’s review and to identify statute adjustments where the model’s operational details (for example, eligibility for some categorical reimbursements) still reference district-only language. The state authorizer estimated its approved budget for FY26 at about $711,403, which LSO said would not be covered by the 0.5% fee collected this school year.

Numbers at a glance (as presented)

- Estimated charter-school ADM (2024–25): 1,213.693
- Estimated total state funding to charter schools (2024–25): $17,659,000 (approx.)
- Estimated additional central-office funding to be proportionally entitled in 2025–26 (proxy): $1,400,000
- State-authorizer administrative fee collected (0.5%, 2024–25): ~$37,500
- Charter-school lease appropriation in the biennium (as discussed): $4,200,000 plus $1,900,000 associated with repeal of a three-year waiting rule

Committee concerns and next steps

Committee members raised questions about whether districts should be required to retain mothballed buildings for potential future public use, whether the state should consider repurchasing previously sold district buildings rather than paying long-term lease fees, and how to align student counts, ADM and square-foot calculations consistently. The authorizing board and district witnesses asked for clearer statutory authority and for adequate authorizer staffing. The department and LSO said they will pursue administrative changes (quarterly lease payments and ADM-based truing) and recommended the committee consider policy fixes to close statutory gaps the presenters identified.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Select Committee on School Facilities, May 30, 2025 - AM2","oneSentenceSummary","Committee members heard how charter schools are authorized and funded, learned state lease-reimbursement rules now apply immediately when a charter opens, and saw LSO estimates of about $17.7 million in state funding for roughly 1,214 charter-school students in 2024–25.","taxTitle","Select Committee on School Facilities, Select Committees & Task Force, Committees, Legislative, Wyoming","taxId",29172,"location","Wyoming","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6220179,"Mercer studies, $95M block and inflationary funds: department outlines allocations and budget forecast",408,4012000,4420000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618288-f7e2915bb5e66fac49600d86ef90b0b2&start=4012&end=4420","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618288-f7e2915bb5e66fac49600d86ef90b0b2/thumbnail_4012000.jpg","/articles/6220179/Wyoming/Mercer-studies-95M-block-and-inflationary-funds-department-outlines-allocations-and-budget-forecast","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220179-dd88988b6722d6b8adb69be4edd0e2f2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770582331&Signature=BlZNPaafjlfnAKjmQ4x5e8GXgr3fJE0siUxRhbtcMogG4-5c2U2deLZtsDvuaYhGJiAPlc1lARcVqk7AeEyIjNGXb7HuhWWETPteRAHyqYlYTkiHAJq9xg3j8mzZOwBEvD9~5~Exu-tsYQFpVVysqHCxskM7500b2kjzvYrAb7Z8QQMhyPKtBlD87Fa0kHwul-jvmpDfPeJvix5JstMBuxm0B12hAshbnIyC5GxW6IFnDL95TriXWQA~UNcSrQ0I2e4VxKHuXjzQJRC4Z71aDjqGaigYhYsSodrH7RC6XNk6~Hp1y8FZHhJCz9tkAhHlunt~6VYW1l~EoUHGtlihmA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The State Construction Department briefed the Select Committee on the Mercer studies program and the status of several funding pools: a $95 million block allocated earlier, inflationary funding appropriations, and near-term budget needs.

Progress on Mercer studies and consultant capacity

Administrator Shelby Carlson said the Mercer program (condition/capacity/adequacy studies) began after the 2023 session. The department rolled an initial list of 28 facilities into 21 Mercer studies; six Mercer deliverables are complete and 16 remain. Carlson said four consultant teams were originally hired, the department will reissue solicitations to attract additional consultants, and the current consultant cadence (one Mercer at a time per firm) is slowing delivery.

$95 million block and project allocations

John Rex and Carlson walked the committee through the department’s draft allocations from the $95 million block received in 2023. Projects listed as allocated or partially allocated included central-kitchen replacement (Albany 1), Campbell renovation (Conestoga elementary design), Campbell County transportation facility, Goshen County renovation, the Laramie County 5–6 prototype reconfiguration (nearly $55,000,000), ARP Elementary design, Teton County transportation facility ($17,500,000) and Pine Bluffs capacity projects. The department’s memo attached to committee materials showed those amounts tentatively spoken for; several allocations are tagged with an asterisk to indicate an active Mercer study.

Inflationary funds and remaining balances

The department reported $20,337,956 initially appropriated for inflationary supplements across specific projects; $6,900,000 of those funds were expended and approximately $13,396,000 remained at the time of the meeting. Carlson explained some inflationary tranches are tied to component projects and will not be released until the Mercer recommendation clarifies project scope (for example, certain sanitation/utility work or HVAC components are being held pending Mercer outcomes).

Budget forecast and new asks

Director McComley previewed the department’s fiscal year asks: operational increases for additional staff and travel (to support many Mercer studies), continued engineering/technical funds and a proposed charter-school contingency fund estimated at $1,150,000 to smooth immediate lease obligations when new charter schools open. The department also forecasted a major-maintenance request that grows with the statutory change (2% to 2.5% multiplier), estimating a biennial major-maintenance ask in the roughly $220 million range.

Committee action requested

The committee voted to direct staff to produce a bill draft reflecting the commission’s recommendations (motion by Senator Rothfuss, second by Representative Provenza) so members can see a preliminary budget in August. Department staff said the commission will vote on a more detailed budget in June, which the department will forward for drafting and committee review.","State Construction Department reported 21 Mercer (most-cost-effective-remedy) studies in process, plans to procure more consultants, and showed how the $95 million block and $20.3 million inflationary funds are tentatively allocated; department proposed additional staff and a $1.15M charter contingency for lease volatility.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6220183,"State Construction Department updates dozens of K–12 projects; asbestos, demo and site costs slow schedules",167,598000,765000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618288-f7e2915bb5e66fac49600d86ef90b0b2&start=598&end=765","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618288-f7e2915bb5e66fac49600d86ef90b0b2/thumbnail_598000.jpg","/articles/6220183/Wyoming/State-Construction-Department-updates-dozens-of-K12-projects-asbestos-demo-and-site-costs-slow-schedules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220183-b3615ba10b4b47facf7631a15b722c81/orig.mp4?Expires=1770582331&Signature=mve9kKIysM9ZeHNV~YFHQOCFmFIFE2m~vwEbX1Mqqhy2h~59eoOH-Z0l19BxVAiqA-QqkP5~WZhBSXTDOS7jo35kiI36DgsCgwyD0DdDBe-HDNmdDt24Y93ceeaSWTcTbvcJt0F56ER1Do4ODHojmS2qCFbiQ6qUfvMibIZ9CDJ8iDatjEAsRChYWu0PtSNdXH2DerdMruNTGO1gggIeaSzjCgFvZlrSLj4Xjl7RfX-Rv5hYq358aue~OGgyKvZQkZpGWSro7A9EDAVPQKdQLDRW9OvC4jN-KrU6CAgr-4TXaaa1S4ts5kDSwxscUE05WvD~UfZ2n9nzT0gAoH0rBQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State Construction Department staff briefed the Select Committee on School Facilities on the status of ongoing K–12 capital projects and the practical issues driving cost and schedule variability.

Director Del McComley, Shelby Carlson (school facilities administrator) and John Rex (project management supervisor) reviewed more than a dozen projects — including new school replacements, high-school auditorium work, transportation/bus facilities and demolition contracts — and identified recurring causes of delay and overrun: unidentified asbestos-containing materials, limited availability of demolition and abatement contractors, and large, site-related costs for bus-storage and pavement.

Key project updates and issues

- Tensleep K–12 replacement: funded across 2020 and 2022 sessions; building 92% complete and district occupied the new building January 2025, but additional asbestos-containing materials found during abatement pushed final demolition and site-remediation completion into the fall. Staff said they are working to secure abatement contractors to finish the work.

- Riverton High School auditorium: appropriated $8,200,000 for design and construction in 2022 plus inflationary supplements; about 85% complete by expenditure and the building shell was expected to be finished in early May with remaining site work to follow.

- Little Powder K–8: construction contract awarded to Van Ewing Construction for $9,808,714; project 40% complete by expenditures and scheduled for substantial completion in November 2025 (reporters and members were told occupation may occur at fall break instead of winter break).

- Old-school demolitions: several demolition projects were bid; contractors’ pricing varies widely depending on whether the bidder recovers and resells materials (salvage) or simply hauls material offsite, and whether abatement (asbestos/lead) is required. Department staff gave multiple examples where preliminary surveys did not identify asbestos-containing spray-on materials or mastics that became friable only when demolition began, forcing crews to stop work and re-mobilize licensed abatement teams.

- Campbell County transportation building and other bus barns: design-stage estimates at 10% schematic design exceeded appropriated budgets; staff proposed advancing to 35% design and a value-engineering review to develop more reliable cost estimates. The department recommended separating site costs (extensive pavements, bus parking and coverage) from building cost-per-square-foot when reporting to the legislature because bus-storage and pavement can add millions of dollars to total project cost for large fleets.

- Campbell County High School replacement and other large high-school projects: design-phase funds were appropriated; district and state emphasized that hazardous-material abatement costs remain unquantified and will be requested once surveys and quantities are established. Staff said the new Campbell building will be roughly 190,000 square feet versus the existing ~300,000 square-foot facility, reducing future major-maintenance liability but requiring adjustments to adequacy and excess-square-footage calculations.

How asbestos and demolition choices affect schedules

Presenters repeatedly told the committee that hidden asbestos-containing materials — spray coatings on block, mastic under tile, or other nonfriable materials that become friable when disturbed — are the primary source of unplanned scope and delay. Abatement contractors are thinly resourced and often booked far in advance; when crews must pause work for abatement, entire schedules must be reset. Departments said salvage-minded demolition contractors sometimes offer significantly lower bids if they can recycle metal and concrete; those firms are typically in short supply.

Committee reaction and next steps

Members asked what the department is doing to capture lessons learned. Director McComley and staff said they are updating design and adequacy standards (including vestibules and security), contracting additional cost-estimating consultants so more accurate front-end estimates are available, and re-sequencing Mercer (most cost-effective remedy) studies so planning occurs before construction funding is requested. The department said it will present a more complete, dollarized budget to the commission in June and then to the committee in August.

No formal votes were taken on specific projects during the update.","State Construction Department project managers reported progress and delays across multiple K–12 replacement and renovation projects, citing asbestos discoveries, contractor availability for demolition and high site costs for transportation/bus facilities as primary drivers of schedule and budget variability.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6220188,"Legislature enacts several bills changing K-12 facilities funding, maintenance and leasing",197,23000,220000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3618288-f7e2915bb5e66fac49600d86ef90b0b2&start=23&end=220","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3618288-f7e2915bb5e66fac49600d86ef90b0b2/thumbnail_23000.jpg","/articles/6220188/Wyoming/Legislature-enacts-several-bills-changing-K-12-facilities-funding-maintenance-and-leasing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220188-76da5363a1552a418087fbcaff516c68/orig.mp4?Expires=1770582331&Signature=SkDawtxZOR-oIxl0uPJSIGMSpqdgBOP18xisOyxCmmwAdmvPZ0tHrWkfmJUJY4tmZwjJb3yRKyL7gFhruxsfbwU0ZL4h7BsCYSfZq9XgbSaQ-liT1wggCRIPylbK1fPZE2yQAQ2p8-eqmZGUJGW1H-MnIw20f0UYtrMmeVFwfZLUVWvheaMMgkooePj9mgJvAsNImQ7-Z9phul5sLaSd2a75Vxm~l6yvxf~zP5hFwAOO2kV3ZnMppPyENDwgvaGARXLRHkNSozlfHNSaRwrtRM7CxF6FZwZHEmhXmCEkWWaCxsILkWT10M6MP9IGP1HwfS9ON7RFFZfbMcZsBj8HbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Select Committee on School Facilities received a summary of 2025 legislation that will change how Wyoming funds, maintains and plans for K–12 school facilities.

The summary, presented by Ashley Phillips and Tanya Heitrich of the Legislative Service Office, said two bills sponsored by the select committee were enacted (chapter 89 and chapter 145), and other bills affecting capital construction and charter school leasing also passed. The enacted bills change lease reimbursement calculations, adjust routine and major maintenance formulas for school year 2025–26, and direct new capital planning and reporting duties for the State Construction Department.

Why it matters: the package alters money school districts and charter schools will receive for facilities and tasks the State Construction Department must perform. That affects how districts budget for maintenance, how charter school lease reimbursements are calculated, and how the state prioritizes future capital work.

Major provisions summarized to the committee

- Chapter 89 (K–12 school facilities leasing): amends lease reimbursement so the state pays the lesser of the total lease amount or the average cost per square foot for comparable facilities multiplied by the allowable educational square footage.

- Chapter 145 (K–12 school facilities maintenance and appropriations): for school year 2025–26 only, raised allowable square foot multipliers (from 115% to 135% of the School Facilities Commission adequacy standards) and increased the cost-replacement multiplier from 2% to 2.5% beginning in school year 2025–26; appropriated $38,100,000 for increased major-maintenance payments and directed the Department of Education to allocate routine-maintenance increases.

- Chapter 118 (K–12 school facilities appropriations): appropriated targeted sums including $29,800,000 for component-level projects, roughly $14,400,000 for construction and demolition of Campbell County transportation facilities, and approximately $150,000,000 for design, construction, site preparation and demolition of a Kimball-area high school (of which $20,000,000 was effective immediately and the remainder effective March 15, 2026); reappropriated up to $13,400,000 for inflationary costs on approved projects and directed a study by the State Construction Department and School Facilities Commission on the department’s authority over K–12 major-maintenance projects, with a report due Oct. 1 to Joint Appropriations and the Select Committee beginning 2025 through 2031.

- Chapter 12 (Public Property and Buildings amendments): requires the State Construction Department to develop a 20-year strategic plan, monitor and report on capital construction and maintenance, and standardize definitions and processes for state building construction.

- Chapter 24 (charter school leasing): repealed the prior requirement that charter schools wait until the State Construction Department determined no adequate or available district space existed before receiving lease reimbursement.

What did not pass: two bills sponsored by the select committee—House Bill 21 (routine-maintenance worker calculation) and House Bill 142 (a supplemental K–12 facilities appropriation)—were not enacted. Committee members were told HB 21's technical change to the maintenance-worker formula was not picked up in the appropriations rewrite and that the legislature preferred to address the change in the planned recalibration work instead.

Outlook: committee staff and agency presenters said the statutory and appropriation changes will require the department and districts to update calculations and planning documents. The committee directed staff to draft a preliminary budget bill based on the State Construction Department’s forthcoming commission recommendations so members can review those figures in August before the October budget work.","The Select Committee on School Facilities heard a recap of 2025 laws affecting K–12 facilities: changes to lease reimbursement and routine/major maintenance formulas, targeted appropriations for construction and maintenance, and a new statewide capital planning requirement.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Charter school growth raises lease, funding and oversight questions; state authorizer, districts urge clearer review authority

Mercer studies, $95M block and inflationary funds: department outlines allocations and budget forecast

State Construction Department updates dozens of K–12 projects; asbestos, demo and site costs slow schedules

Legislature enacts several bills changing K-12 facilities funding, maintenance and leasing