Committee considers consolidating two CTE grant programs; staff to draft amendments
August 30, 2024 | Education, Joint & Standing, Committees, Legislative, Wyoming
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The committee heard a staff‑prepared draft, 25LSO0098, to consolidate two existing career and technical education (CTE) grant programs — the statute cited as 21 13 3 37 and the demonstration project statute 21 12 1 0 5 — into a single grant program administered under the school finance statutes.
Tanya Heitrich of the Legislative Service Office advised the committee the draft begins from the more recent CTE grant statute (21 13 3 37) and would repeal the older demonstration‑project statute (21 12 1 0 5). Staff noted material deviations between the two current statutes: eligible expenditures, maximum award amounts and award preferences differ now between the programs. The draft carries the smaller $50,000 per‑award ceiling from one statute and removes the larger $150,000–$200,000 two‑year cap that exists in the other; the staff memo flagged that choice as a policy point for the committee.
Department of Education staff told the committee they support consolidation to reduce applicant confusion and administrative burden. Agency staff and representatives of the Wyoming Association for Career and Technical Education recommended retaining flexibility for larger, multi‑year demonstration projects and suggested using different award tiers (smaller awards for equipment/supplies; larger awards for multi‑year program development) or allowing higher maximum awards for multi‑year demonstration projects.
Committee discussion focused on: whether to carry the $50,000 cap forward or to retain the larger amounts available under the demonstration project statute; whether the consolidated statute should require the department to report on grant expenditures; and whether to preserve program evaluation and post‑secondary/industry consultation requirements that exist in the demonstration project statute.
Action and next steps: The committee did not vote on introduction. Committee leadership asked Representative Lolli and Co‑chair Northrop to work with the Legislative Service Office, the Department of Education and the Wyoming Association for Career and Technical Education to draft specific amendments before the committee’s next meeting. The draft as presented would repeal 21 12 1 0 5 and set the consolidated program’s effective date for July 1, 2026, to avoid disrupting previously awarded two‑year grants.
Why it matters: Consolidation could simplify grant administration and reduce confusion among applicants, but stakeholders emphasized that the state should preserve capacity to fund larger multi‑year or demonstration projects and maintain evaluation and reporting to measure results.
Tanya Heitrich of the Legislative Service Office advised the committee the draft begins from the more recent CTE grant statute (21 13 3 37) and would repeal the older demonstration‑project statute (21 12 1 0 5). Staff noted material deviations between the two current statutes: eligible expenditures, maximum award amounts and award preferences differ now between the programs. The draft carries the smaller $50,000 per‑award ceiling from one statute and removes the larger $150,000–$200,000 two‑year cap that exists in the other; the staff memo flagged that choice as a policy point for the committee.
Department of Education staff told the committee they support consolidation to reduce applicant confusion and administrative burden. Agency staff and representatives of the Wyoming Association for Career and Technical Education recommended retaining flexibility for larger, multi‑year demonstration projects and suggested using different award tiers (smaller awards for equipment/supplies; larger awards for multi‑year program development) or allowing higher maximum awards for multi‑year demonstration projects.
Committee discussion focused on: whether to carry the $50,000 cap forward or to retain the larger amounts available under the demonstration project statute; whether the consolidated statute should require the department to report on grant expenditures; and whether to preserve program evaluation and post‑secondary/industry consultation requirements that exist in the demonstration project statute.
Action and next steps: The committee did not vote on introduction. Committee leadership asked Representative Lolli and Co‑chair Northrop to work with the Legislative Service Office, the Department of Education and the Wyoming Association for Career and Technical Education to draft specific amendments before the committee’s next meeting. The draft as presented would repeal 21 12 1 0 5 and set the consolidated program’s effective date for July 1, 2026, to avoid disrupting previously awarded two‑year grants.
Why it matters: Consolidation could simplify grant administration and reduce confusion among applicants, but stakeholders emphasized that the state should preserve capacity to fund larger multi‑year or demonstration projects and maintain evaluation and reporting to measure results.
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