education

Data shows that over the last ten years about half of Wyoming high school graduates left the state, and many say it is because of a lack of opportunity. Rock Springs’ economy has long been driven by the nearby coal plants and natural gas fields – neither of which are booming like they had 10 to 20 years ago. But there are jobs opening up in other energy sectors, like the nuclear power plant that is being built at a former coal plant in Kemmerer. It is expected to create 2,000 jobs, including welders, mechanics, plant operators and electricians.

Earlier this week, Governor Mark Gordon’s Reimagining and Innovating the Delivery of Education Advisory, group (RIDE), released its final report. It provides recommendations on how to improve the state’s education system. Wyoming Public Radio’s Hugh Cook spoke with John Masters, the group’s chairman.

Wyoming will elect a new superintendent of public instruction next month. Wyoming Public Radio's Taylar Stagner talked with Republican candidate Megan Degenfelder about teacher shortages, transparency, and the future of education.

Sergio Maldonado has been a classroom teacher, a college administrator, and a school board trustee. And as he’s running for State Superintendent of Public Instruction, he’s been substitute teaching for schools on the Wind River Reservation. Wyoming Public Radio’s Taylar Stagner sat with Maldonado to talk about his thoughts on education in the state. They start off by discussing whether the K-12 system is underfunded.

A series of events in Laramie are focusing on what living with wildfire really means in the future. Mullen Days is looking at this through the lens of the Mullen Fire, which was Wyoming’s largest single-source fire in the fall of 2020. It burned more than 170,000 acres in the Snowies.

A new report shows that primary and secondary school students in Wyoming made better progress than students from other states during the pandemic months.

The Wyoming Department of Health is concerned that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are increasing.Comparing 2021 cases with those of 2020, there was a 23.6 percent increase in chlamydia cases, a 33.5 percent increase in gonorrhea cases and a 35.5 percent increase in syphilis cases.

The first meat science degree in Wyoming is officially launching this fall at Central Wyoming College. The degree program aims to train the next generation of local butchers and food scientists. Wyoming Public Radio's Taylar Stagner spoke with program director Amanda Winchester about the program and what she hopes the students will learn.