This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series will bring you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.
The state is appealing a Laramie County court’s preliminary injunction that blocked the first payments to families participating in the Wyoming Education Savings Account (ESA) program.
The Wyoming attorney general filed the appeal on behalf of the state, the state’s superintendent of public instruction and state treasurer on July 17, two days after the injunction order.
“With an appeal, we can expect a Supreme Court decision on the injunction,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder wrote in a press release. “However, the appeals process is still extensive and unless the injunction is stayed while the appeal proceeds, may cause the program funds to be unavailable for most of the 2025-26 school year.”
The lawsuit brought by the Wyoming Education Association argues the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act, which opened ESAs to all families regardless of income earlier this year, takes money away from public schools. It also claims private and religious schools may discriminate against disabled and LGBTQ+ children because they don’t have as much state oversight as public schools.
Nearly 4,000 families had applied for the up to $7,000-per-child voucher ahead of the upcoming school year. The voucher can be used for private or charter school tuition and other homeschooling costs, including curriculum, tutoring, extra-curricular activities and other approved education-related costs.
The program is also open to families with pre-kindergarten age children. Applicants must have a household income at or below 250% of the federal poverty guidelines to qualify.
