House panel raises CTE equipment grant cap to $75,000, eases eligibility rules

The House Education Committee on Jan. 15 voted to pass House Bill 17, a committee bill that raises the maximum award for the Career and Technical Education (CTE) equipment and supplies grant from $50,000 to $75,000 per year and shortens the eligibility “look‑back” period from five years to two years.

The change, sponsors said, aims to help smaller districts buy expensive equipment — for example, lathes, greenhouses and welding machines — and to make it easier for districts that fully expend a designated 29 percent allotment for materials, supplies and equipment to qualify.

Vice Chair Laurie Lolly, who worked on the bill during the interim, told the committee the amendments increase the grant ceiling and ease some eligibility conditions that had prevented smaller districts from applying. “We actually didn't go that route, but we ended up making some amendments … We raised it from $50,000 to $75,000 per year,” Lolly said.

Department of Education staff said the department administers two state CTE grants that serve different purposes and that the equipment-and-supplies grant is relatively new. Jenna Berlohith, college, career and accountability supervisor at the department, described examples of past awards and said the higher cap recognizes rising costs: “Some of that equipment, as you can imagine, is quite expensive and that is the reasoning for that increase from $50,000 to a $75,000 max,” she said. The department noted a district that requests the maximum could receive up to $150,000 over a two‑year period.

Representatives of educator and business groups spoke in support. Boyd Brown, executive director of the Wyoming Association of School Administrators, said grants have allowed smaller districts to buy tools — such as a plasma cutter — that otherwise would take years to afford. Rob Hill, public policy director for the Wyoming Association for Career and Technical Education, explained the eligibility change: the statute currently requires districts to show full expenditure of the 29 percent allotment over the past five years; HB17 would shorten that lookback to two years so more districts can qualify.

Business groups said the change supports the state’s workforce needs. Renny McKay of the Wyoming Business Alliance and Kelly Little of the Associated General Contractors told the committee employers face persistent worker shortages and benefit from better CTE offerings.

Public testimony included a request for clearer budget transparency. Patricia McCoy, chapter chair of Moms for Liberty of Laramie County, said she supports increased funding but asked how districts report and account for CTE spending.

On the motion “Use the bill,” moved by Vice Chair Laurie Lolly and seconded by Representative Tommy Strack, the committee recorded a roll call vote. The committee reported nine ayes and the bill passed the committee.

What’s next: as amended in committee, HB17 will move forward in the legislative process for consideration by the full House. The Department of Education and CTE organizations said they will continue outreach to districts to explain the revised eligibility rules and application process.