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Sheridan County School District #2 approves concealed‑carry rule requiring staff to pay training costs, exempts district‑owned lockboxes
Summary
The board adopted policy CKA on second reading, requiring employees/volunteers who choose to carry a concealed firearm on district property to cover associated costs except when costs are reimbursable by the State of Wyoming; trustees added an explicit exception so the district retains ownership of lockboxes. State reimbursement eligibility was discussed and may apply in a later cycle.
The Sheridan County School District #2 Board of Trustees on second reading approved a revised concealed‑carry policy (CKA) that requires employees and volunteers who choose to carry a concealed firearm on school property to pay related costs, with two exceptions: reimbursement if fully covered by the State of Wyoming and an explicit exemption for district‑owned lockboxes.
Superintendent Stultz told the board the policy revision process included a 45‑day public comment window after a June first reading and input from the policy advisory council and board policy committee. "There is an addition ... that carrying a concealed weapon under this policy is entirely voluntary," Stultz said as he summarized committee changes and training requirements.
Trustee Doug Moore proposed — and the board adopted — an amendment to the cost language to ensure the district would purchase and retain lockboxes rather than requiring staff to buy and remove them when they leave. "If our staff is going to be held responsible for the cost of those boxes ... when that employee or volunteer leaves, we've got to take them out," Moore said, arguing the district should retain ownership to avoid logistical burdens.
The board debated who should pay for training and equipment. Administration warned that state reimbursement is limited: a Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) official said districts would not be reimbursed unless a rule was in place by June, which excludes many districts this year. Mr. Finney explained the legislature set aside $480,000 for reimbursements ($10,000 times 48 districts as a planning figure) and that funds would be distributed on a first‑come, first‑serve basis and prorated if requests exceed available money.
Several trustees stressed that any outside training must be preapproved by the superintendent and that the district will keep an approved list of trainers and courses. Trustee Tomlinson said, "We need to make sure that we, as the District, have the ability to control the training that we want done." Stultz confirmed preapproval language is in the policy.
After discussion, the board voted to adopt the amended CKA language and then approved policy CKA on second reading. The board also approved policy KFB (weapons), which had no substantive changes between readings.
The administration said that even if the rule passes now, the district would likely be eligible for reimbursement in the 2025–26 cycle rather than this year, and that equipment and fixture reimbursement may have different eligibility rules than training.
Next steps: The policy is adopted on second reading; the board may bring the rule back for final reading and implementation details, and administration will track WDE guidance and potential reimbursement windows.
