Wyoming Education Association

Spring 2021

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16 The As of this writing, the 2021 General Session has already been rife with threats to Wyoming education. Everything from class size to student activities to employee health insurance, compensation, professional development days, and more have been explored as a vehicle for funding cuts as many Wyoming lawmakers seek to evade their responsibility to generate revenue. Tax-averse leadership continues to beat a drum of misinformation: Education hasn't come to the table and taken cuts like other state agencies. These desperate times call for desperate measures, so it's acceptable to sacrifice our kids' futures. The recalibration bill has evolved into many iterations— none of which have left education funding unscathed. We'll be lucky to escape this session without Wyoming public education taking another round of substantial cuts. Parents are being asked to settle for less for their children and children to compromise on their opportunity—and education employees, yet again, are being asked to do more with less. As this session commenced, Governor Gordon, in his State of the State Address, referred to the future of Wyoming's K-12 education system as "the biggest elephant in the Capitol this year." The hurdles we face to stable education funding feel weightier than the heaviest elephant. Even continuing to underfund Wyoming's education system at current levels spells a $300 million per year shortfall that—without new streams of revenue—will decimate the state's savings in just three years. The Wyoming Constitution protects education. It protects the resources that we need as a state to provide a high- quality and equitable education for all Wyoming students. These protections are enshrined in our constitution because Wyoming voters prioritize and value education. We simply cannot balance our books or achieve an adequate level of savings through cuts without devastating our students and walking back on the progress we've made toward the caliber of education system on which families, students, and the very future of Wyoming depend. We need revenue. It's unrealistic to think that instituting new tax revenue streams will ever be met with a landslide of unwavering political approval. But the quiet roar of Wyoming voters voicing their willingness to pay dedicated tax dollars toward education is growing into a unified voice too strong to be ignored by lawmakers (see pages 14-15). Despite the challenges facing education funding, we see progress this session. Traditional friends of education at the statehouse have continued their tireless efforts to propose cost-based and evidence-based legislation that prioritizes our students and upholds our constitution. The general public outside of education is becoming more aware of the financial crisis impacting our schools and our state as a whole, and preliminary surveys are revealing that Wyoming voters still want Wyoming lawmakers to prioritize and protect resources for education (see page 14-15). Lawmakers are exploring creative ways to backfill and eliminate the cuts and deficits in education funding— proposals have ranged from additional mill levies to a one- penny sales tax for education. The future of our schools cannot be the elephant in the room. Open and productive dialogue between communities and lawmakers will mean it's not. As of this writing, the future of Wyoming education in the next year, in the next biennium, and in the long term remains uncertain. What is certain is that the challenges we face will remain with us well after this session concludes. We know just as certainly that WEA members' willingness to start conversations with colleagues, friends, family, and neighbors must continue. We are only just beginning the massive push it will take to ensure that lawmakers fully understand the degree to which the Wyoming public truly values education. We have to push this elephant to center-stage, shine a spotlight on it and make sure that everyone in each of our circles of influence knows: The future of Wyoming education is being threatened. We need to unify to tell lawmakers loud and clear, we, the people, value education, and you must protect it! This won't be easy. It will take strength, unity, and dedication. But, together, we can move this elephant. Elephant in the Capitol Public education in the state of Wyoming has faced many threats through the 2021 General Session. You, as an education advocate, will mean the difference for Wyoming's students and future. By: Tate Mullen Help us move the elephant! To learn more about ways that you can get involved in the political process and WEA's current and ongoing campaigns, please reach out to WEA Government Relations Director Tate Mullen at tmullen@wyoea.org or (307)286-3096.

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