Sheridan district posts top statewide scores; superintendent urges clearer public explanation of funding model

Sheridan County School District No. 2 reported that students improved in most tested areas on the statewide assessment and that high school ACT results remain above the state average, and the district’s superintendent briefed trustees on how the state funding model affects local pay and budgeting. Superintendent Stultz highlighted the district’s YTOP results and the role of teacher clarity in student growth.

Why it matters: district leaders said strong assessment outcomes reflect sustained instructional focus and community support, while trustees and staff urged better public communication about how state reimbursement and categorical funding interact with local salary decisions.

Superintendent Stultz told the board that the district’s Wyoming Test of Proficiency and Progress results showed improvement in 16 of 19 tested areas and that 12 of 14 cohort measures showed growth or parity when students moved from one grade to the next. “If we focus on looking at what we expect all kids to know and be able to do… the YTOP assessment’s gonna take care of itself,” Stultz said.

The board’s assessment presenter said Sheridan again ranked first among Wyoming’s 48 districts on the districtwide ordinal (“golf”) score and that the district outperformed the state average by more than 10 percentage points in nearly every tested area. The district also reported an average ACT composite of 21 for juniors, above the state mean of 18.7; Sheridan High School’s median ACT was 23 and its mode was 24.

In the same discussion, Stultz reviewed the state funding context raised during recent recalibration work led by consultant Dr. Pikus. He said the Education Contribution Adjustment (ECA) had been set at 8.5% but cautioned that district salary comparisons require matching the state’s recognized base. Stultz said the district’s beginning teacher salary is $54,000 while the state reimbursement for a beginning teacher is $48,353, a difference the superintendent described as a local supplement. Using those figures, the local supplement equals $5,647.

Stultz outlined local salary actions adopted this year: a $3,000 increase in the pay base with vertical and horizontal steps of $1,200; a first‑year teacher saw an 8.2% increase overall, and classified staff received $1.00 per hour increases plus a 50¢ step movement in many cases. He said some positions and services—examples he named were elementary counselors and school resource officers—are not covered by the state block grant and must be funded locally.

The superintendent said the district will host one of the professional judgment panels used by the recalibration process on Oct. 14 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the boardroom so staff, parents, administrators and trustees can give direct feedback to Dr. Pikus about how the funding model operates locally.

During public comment, resident Gail Simmons said she had received calls and texts from legislators and other residents about “misinformation and the kind of distortion” in a recent letter to the editor about school funding. Simmons asked local media to help the public understand the funding model and its limits. “I would hope that they would take that information that Superintendent Stultz gave and maybe write an article that explores and explains more about that funding,” she said.

Discussion and next steps: trustees praised teachers and staff for the assessment results and asked that the district continue public communication about pay, benefits and how local decisions use flexible funding. Stultz confirmed the Oct. 14 recalibration panel will be open for testimony and listed three upcoming superintendent “chat with the superintendent” dates for community engagement: Oct. 23, Feb. 3 and Apr. 22.

No formal board action was taken on assessments or funding at this meeting; trustees received the report and discussed community outreach and the upcoming recalibration panel.