Dual enrollment courses will be better funded thanks to the school recalibration bill Gov. Mark Gordon allowed to go into law without his signature last month.

The bill, supported by Park County’s entire delegation and the vast majority of all legislators, includes $20 million for K-12 schools the next two years to be used for dual enrollment programs and to support district reimbursements, and $750,000 for community colleges 

The $20 million for the biennium will be used to reimburse school districts for the amounts expended for students who enroll and complete dual enrollment courses, while the $750,000 will support community colleges providing dual enrollment courses to students such as home school students who aren’t part of the standard program. 

Gordon announced his decision March 9, and later that night Northwest College President Lisa Watson told college trustees it’ll allow for the schools to be funded for what is already being done for dual enrollment courses (where high school students take classes at the college). 

“Basically they've put $20 million into the K-12 bucket that can be used to 'pay' the schools to provide dual enrollment classes. And so that would be the first time the school districts would be able to … submit a bill to the state.

"That would be real cash at the end of the day, which would really make a difference.” 

This money does come with a string attached: Dual enrollment courses need to be open up not just to juniors and seniors, as has been the case recently at most local schools, but to all high school students. 

“We'll see how it plays out,” Watson said. “I think at the end of the day, you're going to find a lot of parents who are not necessarily going to be pushing for ninth and 10th grade dual enrollment, unless … it really makes sense.”

Sen. Dan Laursen, R-Powell, agreed, saying the next day that while it does save students money, “I am not sure why we want our children to grow up, finish their post graduate degree sooner in life. I think they should slow down and enjoy both high school and college, they have their whole life to be adults and have a job and family. The struggles of life come soon enough, why rush them?"

It’s just one of the ways in which the legislative session finished better than many in the Wyoming colleges expected (certainly the University of Wyoming avoiding a $40 million cut was a boon to the university, although $10 million of the restored funding is contingent on UW finding $5 million in savings). 

“I think we should be grateful, overall good session.”

The colleges also received some extra funds to once again be able to provide a cost adjustments for staff. Watson said it’s helpful to be able to provide raises every year, even if they’re not large increases. The college finance department is working with the community college commission to determine exactly how much money will be provided. 

“But still very positive for us with that compensation money that will allow us to provide compensation yet again this year, although not a ton of money at the same time, being able to do it every single year really does help,” Watson said. “And so I'm excited about that. So we'll put that to the best use we can.”

She noted major maintenance funding has also been increased. 

In his letter on the bill, the governor cited concerns that the legislation disadvantages smaller districts, usurps local authority, and fails to address essential operational funding needs, but said the issues could be addressed during interim. 

“A central component of this bill is the restriction of funding for instructional purposes or the so-called ‘instructional silo.’ It is an approach that is well-intentioned and designed to maximize Wyoming’s resources into the classroom. Nevertheless, I am concerned that the Legislature has failed to consider two important realities,” Gordon said. “My concern is that the ‘instructional silo’ as currently contemplated may so unreasonably restrict school districts that they will be forced into an untenable position of either running the operational aspect of the district at a deficit or severely diminishing the operations,” he said, claiming funding shortfalls to building maintenance, transportation, nutrition, safety and extracurricular activities, which ”demonstrably augment educational mission” will be"potentially diminished by this act.”

For the community colleges, the agreement includes: 

• $14 million for employee compensation 

• $750,000 for a dual enrollment pilot program 

• $5 million in ongoing state aid 

• $7.5 million in ongoing CTE funding 

• $5 million for Wyoming Works (programmatic/student grants) 

• $600,000 in additional support for rodeo teams