Board debates coach-staffing formula as cost and Title IX questions surface

The Laramie County School District #2 Board of Trustees discussed proposed changes to IGDB, the district's staffing formula for coaches, at second reading on May 13, 2025, but took no final action.

Board members and staff spent the meeting outlining how different ratios and minimums would affect the district's budget and asking for legal and financial clarity before a vote. Business manager Misty said, "If we did a 10 to 1 ratio, that's a $43,000 increase." She also said a policy that set a minimum of two coaches for every sport would cost about $50,000.

Why it matters: The draft IGDB policy would replace a patchwork of sport-specific "asterisks" and move to ratio-based staffing (for example, one coach per 12 athletes in the current draft). Board members pressing for changes said they wanted both to protect student safety and to ensure equitable opportunities, while others raised concerns about sustaining the expense in future years if participation fell.

Supporters of higher minimum staffing argued the move would protect participation and safety. Board member Michael said one possible approach was to "hire two coaches for the sports that we have here and then we put and maintain a maximum 1 coach for every 12 and discuss that number." Other members, including Jared and Billy, asked staff for hard cost numbers before committing to a ratio change.

Misty presented district activity funding history and projections to inform the discussion. She reported current activities funding of about $825,000 for the year and said the district's average activities funding over the past 11 years was roughly $569,000 while average annual activities expenditures were about $617,000, noting the district has historically spent more on high-school-level activities than the base funding alone covers. She warned the legislature's pending recalibration of the state funding model could materially change how activities and CTE are funded.

Staff clarified small immediate cost impacts of prior policy work: Kendra noted the split of junior-high girls wrestling back into the junior-high program added about $6,500 in cost when implemented.

Public comment touched on policy details and cost. A parent, identified in the meeting as a resident commenter, asked why football and track would receive additional coaches on grounds of safety while other sports would be governed strictly by numeric thresholds.

No motion to adopt the IGDB policy was passed at the work session. Board members discussed proposed amendments to bring forward at the next regular meeting: options on the table included lowering the ratio to 10:1, keeping a 12:1 ratio but guaranteeing a minimum of two coaches per sport, or adding sport-specific cut points for reducing coaches when roster sizes fall. Board counsel's guidance about Title IX implications and the need for a mechanism to reduce coaches if participation falls were noted as part of the record.

Board direction: Staff was asked to supply more detailed cost estimates for the possible amendments and to provide the board with counsel guidance on Title IX compliance for coach staffing so the board can consider proposed amendments at the next public meeting.

The board said it expects the IGDB policy, with or without amendments, to return for formal consideration at the next regular meeting, where public comment and any amendment motions would occur.