Help stop the Freedom Caucus' plan to harm Wyoming schools

ISSUE OVERVIEW

Every five years, the Wyoming Supreme Court requires the Legislature to "recalibrate" how they fund public education. They do this to make sure our public schools are receiving the funding they need to cover the actual cost of educating students today.

Legislative leaders appoint a "Recalibration Committee" to undertake this task. This year, since the Freedom Caucus is in charge of the Legislature, they appointed a “Recalibration Committee” full of their members.

Currently, a "Recalibration" bill sponsored by this Freedom Caucus-led committee is being considered by the Legislature during the 2026 budget session.

THE LATEST

The bill that the “Recalibration Committee” sponsored for the Legislature’s 2026 budget session was bad—it cut hundreds of teacher jobs, increased class sizes, stripped local control from school districts, and underfunded critical positions like school counselors and nutrition.

Legislators in the Wyoming House who support public education voted this bill down immediately, not even allowing it to be introduced.

In the Senate, where the Freedom Caucus holds less sway, the bill was referred to a committee that improved it dramatically.

The improvements from the Senate Education Committee include:

Higher teacher pay
Smaller class sizes
Cost-of-living funding adjustments each year
Funding for counselors and nurses
More local control for school districts

The bill is not perfect, but “Recalibration” is a long and complex process, and we are headed in the right direction.

The next step is for the Senate to vote on the new, improved bill.

Please email your own local Senator today and ask them to support the “Recalibration” bill that will come before them this week.

Learn more about recalibration in this blog post: What the *%^# is “recalibration” (and why does it matter for Wyoming’s public schools)?

STRATEGY: YOUR LOCAL SENATOR + NUMBERS MATTER

The form above will automatically send your email to your own local Wyoming State Senator. This is the person who was elected by your community to represent you. Every Senator will have a vote on the "recalibration" bill, and every vote counts.

During the Budget Session, lawmakers are incredibly busy and receive tons of emails. It is likely that they will not have the chance to closely read your message, at least not right away. That is why we have made it clear in the email subject that your message is coming from their local constituent, and it's clear that you want them to vote "YES" on the "recalibration" bill.

At the same time, numbers matter. If your and other lawmakers are all receiving lots of emails asking them to vote "YES," it makes it more likely that they will.

For these reasons, do not spend 20 minutes crafting your email. Instead, spend 5 minutes writing it and 15 minutes sending this link to other people in Wyoming asking them to speak up.

YOUR MESSAGE

When you use the form above, it will send your message to your own local Wyoming State Senator.

Keep it simple. Your message should contain three short parts.

1. Who you are: My name is ______. I’m a voter in your district. [DEFINITELY TELL THEM THAT YOU ARE THEIR CONSTITUENT]

2. What you want: I am writing today to ask you to vote "YES" on the recalibration bill that was improved by the Senate Education Committee.

3. Why you want it: Include a few (brief!) lines about why you think proper funding for Wyoming public schools is important.

IMPORTANT: Be respectful. This is not a matter of whether you like a politician or their policies. It's a question of our effectiveness as a movement. Make your argument and tell your story. No name-calling, and keep it civil. Being rude can backfire against our efforts.

TALKING POINTS

THE RECALIBRATION COMMITTEE'S PROPOSAL

While not perfect, the "recalibration" bill currently before the Senate is a dramatic improvement over the bill that the Freedom Caucus-led Recalibration Committee proposed.

The bill:

keeps class sizes at a reasonable level
maintains more local control for school districts
avoids massive elimination of educator jobs
funds important positions like counselors and nurses

GENERAL TALKING POINTS

Public schools are the backbone of Wyoming — they bring us together, reflect our values, and help every student thrive. Recalibration is how the state keeps that promise: by making sure schools have the resources to deliver a strong education.

Wyomingites are proud of their public schools. They’ve educated generations, connected communities, and passed down core values like responsibility and hard work.
In a rural state like ours, schools are the glue that holds communities together—from Friday night games to school plays—and make sure every student feels seen and supported.

Public schools do more than educate our kids — they keep Wyoming’s economy strong. From preparing students for good-paying jobs to employing thousands across the state, they’re a direct investment in our future. Recalibration is how we protect that value, ensuring schools are funded to deliver for students, educators, and communities.

Public schools aren’t just where kids learn math and reading. They’re where students learn essential career-building skills, join a team, and discover what they’re capable of, both inside the classroom and beyond.
Strong public schools help keep young families rooted in Wyoming—and when we fund them well, we give our kids more reason to stay, build their futures here, and help our communities thrive.

Wyoming’s elected leaders have a responsibility to ensure every student has access to a quality education that sets them up for success in school and in life. Recalibration is their chance to deliver on that promise — or fall short.

Wyoming’s constitution guarantees every child the right to a quality education, no matter where they live. Recalibration is how the state lives up to that legal responsibility — and it must reflect the real needs of schools today.
From recruiting and retaining great teachers to keeping buildings safe and programs running, schools need reliable funding. Lawmakers must use recalibration to ensure funding actually matches the true cost of providing a quality education.

KEY EDUCATION STATS

93% of all Wyoming students attend a public school.
Wyoming public schools employ over 13,000 staff, making them one of the largest employers in many of the state’s smaller communities.
Across the board, Wyoming voters say the biggest issue facing our public schools is inadequate funding
Data shows that Wyoming voters overwhelmingly support investing in key public school priorities— including teacher pay, student mental health, and updated facilities.

SHARE THIS LINK

No matter how passionate or reasonable your individual argument, that’s not what is going to make an impact. Only sheer numbers have the ability to shake members of the Freedom Caucus’ confidence that they can get away with these harmful cuts.

Send this link to 10 (or 100!) other people in Wyoming and ask them to speak up in support of funding our Wyoming public schools along with you! Here's the link to cut and paste to other Wyomingites: https://betterwyo.org/recalibration-call-to-action/