Snapshots: A Journey to the Promise of Public Education in Wyoming

High desert scrub glows amber in the day’s waning light

A mountain top is ignited by a piercing ray of early morning sunshine

The ridgeline undulates with gyrating windmills

The brown landscape for miles around is punctuated by a green snake of the river valley

Facilities that showcase a state’s commitment to quality.

Over the past several weeks, we have circumnavigated the state, covering 1500 miles as we traced the perimeter, touching down in nine school districts. Each district is realizing ambitions for what is best for their kids. There is so much pride in each community; for their schools, and the promise of public education to support each and every learner. One urban district has over fourteen thousand learners; another has 45% English Language Learners, many of whom are newcomers to the state; another has 114 learners in the entire district. Each of these places is different, and each has a unique approach to student-centered learning.  

Over the coming year, we will be learning with and supporting progress in each district in what promises to be a powerful opportunity to support meaningful practice shifts. If that alone was the work, it would be worthwhile and have a high impact. However, this effort is not only aiming at deep work within each system, but also at informing policy changes locally and statewide. An important part of the innovation process is the relationship between policy and practice.

Practitioner teachers and leaders will be working deeply on their work within district classrooms and central offices, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. This work will be ongoing, and  culminate in early May when these district teams come back together for a Celebration of Learning where they share what they did, what they hoped would happen, what happened and what was enabling and inhibiting their efforts. We are actively engaging with the 4 initiative partners- Governor’s Office, Wyoming Department of Education, Wyoming State Board of Education and the University of Wyoming- as well as legislative leadership to ensure that there is an active audience to understand the potential for the work to inform future policy shifts.

Stay tuned over the coming year as we share stories of learning, transformation and of the interplay between policy and practice.