Committee debates two‑year categorical grant for student‑success professional development; amendment fails and bill not advanced

A Legislative Service Office draft would create a two‑year, noncodified categorical grant program to fund professional development aimed at improving student success by addressing nonacademic barriers. The draft, 26 LSO 90, sets application deadlines, reporting requirements and allows the Wyoming Department of Education to promulgate rules.

Legislative editor Ashley Phillips told the Joint Education Committee the draft creates a categorical grant for two years and would be outside the education resource block grant model. The proposed grant would fund professional development “for all school district employees who may have an impact on student success,” not just classroom teachers, and would focus on understanding student strengths and addressing nonacademic reasons students may struggle.…