ACSD No. 1 ‘May Consider’ Resolution to Allow Lawsuit Against the State
Albany County School District No.1 may not have a resolution in the works clearing the way to sue the state over school funding cuts like the resolution the Campbell County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees passed this week, but they haven’t ruled it out.
ACSD No.1 Superintendent Jubal Yennie said ACSD No. 1 is not as far along in the conversation as Campbell County is, but that Albany County would take a look at the possibility if it becomes necessary.
“We have had to get more efficient, which is totally acceptable,” Yennie said. “We understand what needs to happen at a state level; we’ve got a funding issue. Then again, there’s a constitutional decree that we provide a basket of goods and the legislature’s supposed to provide a basket of goods.”
The Campbell County School District No. 1 unanimously passed the resolution at the end of their meeting this week authorizing a lawsuit against the state over school funding, in response to the 2017 legislature approving $34.5 million in school funding cuts during the session that ended this month.
Yennie said ACSD No.1 has already been reducing revenues and making decisions on programs and personnel.
“I’ve got a balancing act. I have to be able to assure the community we are doing the very best for their children, and at some point is becomes impossible and it even becomes detrimental to our students.”
Yennie says he believes that Albany County has a good delegation representing them in the legislature, that is pushing to mitigate harms to education. He says it has always been the position of the school district to work with its representatives. But, Yennie said, it’s a challenging time.
“We have to work together, not only from the school board level and the legislative level to figure out what is the best way to provide the best education from our students,” Yennie said. “If a resolution is the only means that we can get there, I guess that’s one way for us to consider.”
However, Yennie said, ACSD No. 1 will not blindly line up with other school districts in Wyoming without considering all the factors.