The Wyoming Department of Education is bound by law to gather stakeholder input on how well schools meet the needs of low-income students, and the agency is stepping up those efforts by forming a statewide committee.
Title 1 is the federal program that guarantees all children — regardless of their family’s income — have access to high-quality education. According to the WDE, over half of Wyoming’s K-12 schools receive Title 1 funds to support the needs of low-income students. To ensure those efforts are effective the WDE will work with an appointed committee of practitioners.
Jon Lever, the WDE’s Title 1 manager, said while the program focuses on the needs of students from lower-income families, its impact is broad.
“What you actually are looking at in terms of who to provide services to, is who’s not doing well in school,” said Lever. “And so it actually cuts across all lines in terms of who to support.”
Lever said the committee will focus on equity and accountability in education, and that diverse participation from across the state is essential.
“And not just geographic diversity but also the large district versus small district diversity in terms of representation,” said Lever. “So that while a large district might say ‘that sounds like a great idea, we totally can make that happen,’ a small district with more limited resources might say ‘that’s a nice idea but there are some other considerations.’”
Applications are due December 15. Educators, school staff, parents, school board members, as well as community members are all encouraged to apply. More information is available here.
