HB0235

Modifies public school finance by creating a categorical grant for career technical education supplies, materials, and equipment, and adjusting funding mechanisms for these resources.

• Creates a new categorical grant program allowing school districts to apply for career and technical education supplies, materials, and equipment funding beginning in school year 2026-2027, based on the number of full-time equivalent career and technical education teachers in grades 9-12. (W.S. 21-13-338, Sec. 1)
• Establishes that awards to school districts equal the product of FTE career and technical education teachers multiplied by $14,184.68 per teacher, adjusted by any external cost adjustments for educational materials in the education resource block grant model. (W.S. 21-13-338(c), Sec. 1)
• Requires the department of education to notify districts of award decisions by October 15 and issue payment by February 15 of the applicable school year, with written reasons provided for approvals and denials. (W.S. 21-13-338(d), Sec. 1)
• Mandates that awarded funds be expended only on supplies, materials, and equipment for career and technical education programs, with districts required to report expenditures to the department. (W.S. 21-13-338(e), Sec. 1)
• Clarifies that career and technical education demonstration project grants under W.S. 21-12-105 and equipment grants under W.S. 21-13-337 are in addition to the new categorical grant and that districts receiving funds from one program are ineligible for others during the same period. (W.S. 21-12-105(b), W.S. 21-13-337(a) and (c), Sec. 2)
• Modifies the education resource block grant model to update the vocational career and technical education component to 0.29 times FTE and $9,428.77 per FTE vocational education teacher for equipment and supplies. (2011 Wyoming Session Laws, Chapter 185, ATTACHMENT A(b)(xxv), Sec. 3)
• Requires districts applying for career and technical education equipment grants to have fully expended prior year allocations for supplies, materials, and equipment or to commit to doing so, including amounts from special reserve funds, before receiving new grant awards. (W.S. 21-13-337(c), Sec. 2)