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Wyoming House rejects ‘Summer Vacation Preservation’ bill after lengthy debate
Summary
The Wyoming House defeated Senate File 72, known as the "Summer Vacation Preservation Act," following hours of debate over school calendar limits, local control and instructional time. The bill failed on a final roll call, 5-52, with 5 members excused.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Wyoming House of Representatives voted down Senate File 72, a measure that would have set statewide boundaries for the public school calendar and altered related requirements, after an extended floor debate on Feb. 24, 2025. The bill failed on final passage by a vote of 5 in favor, 52 opposed and 5 excused.
Proponents said the bill would restore a uniform school-calendar window, broadly defined as between Labor Day and Memorial Day, and would adjust how annual instructional time is counted. Representative John Parchment, who brought a major amendment, described one effect of related scheduling changes as a net loss of classroom time and argued for a technical correction: "this is a way to basically add about 16 hours of instruction at no cost," he said on the House floor.
Opponents, including a number of rural lawmakers and representatives with school-district experience, said the measure would add state-level mandates and diminish local authority over school calendars. Representative Jarvis, who spoke at length about classroom practice, said the bill interrupted the…
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