Public News Service

The last operational one-room schoolhouse in Sheridan County, Wyoming, the Slack School, was built in the 1880s, burned down in the 1920s and rebuilt in the 1930s. (Ashlee Gorham, Slack School)

School year begins in WY’s few remaining one-room schoolhouses

It is back-to-school season and for 11 students in Sheridan County, Wyoming, it means returning to a one-room schoolhouse. The Slack School was …

The suicide rate among 15- to-19-year-olds in Wyoming was more than double the U.S. rate in 2019, according to data from the Wyoming Department of Health. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: Schools play important role in K-12 mental health

As the school year begins, experts are advising schools on how to preserve students' mental health but politics in states such as Wyoming limit …

Research about daily routines shows that each ritual�including family dinners and reading and storytelling�was linked to a 47% increase in children�s good social-emotional health, according to Reuters. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: Routines help kids settle into school year

It is time for families to prep kids for the school year and Wyoming experts said sleep and social media hygiene are key. Children's health experts …

There were 165 wildlife-vehicle collisions in Teton County between May 2020 and April 2021, according to the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, the lowest number since data collection started in 2011. (Adobe Stock)

Park visitors cautioned to respect wildlife

July is one of the busiest months for national parks and wildlife advocates have tips for reducing conflicts with animals. Grand Teton and …

About 1.3 million public school educators and 100,000 college and university professors have been affected by educational gag orders from 2021 through 2023, according to a new report from the American Association of University Professors. (Adobe Stock)

University of Wyoming dealing with state’s cuts to diversity office

The University of Wyoming is scrambling to address a major funding cut state legislators passed in a footnote to the state budget. During this …

Wyoming ranked eleventh in the nation for the economic well-being of the state's children, according to the latest Kids Count Data Book. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Increased children’s health coverage in WY, education needs boost

The number of Wyoming children with health insurance increased last year - but the state still ranked low in the nation for children's health overall…

Nearly seven in ten suicides in Wyoming were carried out with firearms between 2018 and 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Suicide rate prompts WY lawmakers to invest in mental-health services

Wyoming's suicide rate ranks first in the nation, according to the most recent data, and state lawmakers are taking steps to improve access to mental …

Creedon Newell practices teaching construction skills in Wyoming's new career and technical educator bridge course, designed to encourage trades students and professionals to pursue a career in CTE teaching. (Photo by Rob Hill)

Repairing the pipeline for WY rural career, technical educators

By Lane Wendell Fischer for the Shasta Scout via The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service for the Public News …

One in four Wyoming kids lives in single-parent families, according to Wyoming Community Foundation data. Such children are more likely to live in poverty compared with their peers in married-parent families. (Adobe Stock)

Training, mental health recovery called key for single moms to escape poverty

A Wyoming nonprofit is helping single mothers climb out of poverty by connecting them with the training and support they need to step into and succeed…

In 2020, the arts and culture sector contributed $1 billion to Wyoming's economy, supporting over 10,000 jobs. (Adobe Stock)

New series aims to fuel Wyoming artists, arts-related businesses

Wyoming artists of all varieties will be able to access tools needed to survive as a viable business through artsWORK, a new series aiming to …

In the late 1800s, at the dawn of the automobile age, many people across the globe believed bicycles were the key to modern mobility. (University of Wyoming)

Historic Iron Riders GPS tour rounding the corner for Sheridan launch

Historians are heading into the final stretch as they work to launch a GPS-activated audio tour commemorating a 1,900-mile trek undertaken in 1897 by …

Arborglyphs, or tree carvings, created by Hispanic sheep herders in the Medicine Bow National Forest date back to the early 1900s. (Amanda Casta�eda)

Uncovering Wyoming's Hispanic heritage along Manito Trail

While many Wyomingites of Hispanic descent came from Mexico, there is a lesser-known population from the old Spanish settlements of northern New …

In 2020, almost half of Wyoming students owed an average of $23,510 in student loan debt. (Adobe Stock)

Over 5,000 Wyoming Residents in New Student Loan Repayment Plan

More than 4 million student loan borrowers, including 5,100 in Wyoming, are now enrolled in the Biden-Harris Administration's new Saving on A …

Scholarship recipients are required to register with the Wyoming Department of Workforce, which will help connect students to job opportunities. (Adobe Stock)

College Scholarships Help Fill WY High-Demand Worker Pipeline

Fall semester is just weeks away, and many adults age 24 and older are tapping up to $72-hundred in scholarships to start or finish a college degree …

The Alliance for Historic Wyoming has a list of some 40 historic hotels and motels scattered throughout Wyoming online at historicwyoming.org. (Chambers House Bed and Breakfast)

Historic Lodging Offers Unique WY Vacation Option

As families in Wyoming head out for a summer holiday, historians are encouraging people to explore a range of historic lodging options, such as the …

Wyoming ranks in the bottom five states alongside South Carolina, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, in children's health. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Wyoming Children Near Bottom Nationally for Health

Wyoming dropped from 14th to 27th nationally in this year's Kids Count Data Book published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which ranks states for …

A new Annie E. Casey Foundation report found a 35% increase in the number of kids in Wyoming entering foster care due to abuse. (Adobe Stock)

Helping Wyoming Foster Youths Succeed as Adults

The number of Wyoming children in foster care between the ages of 14 and 21 has dropped by 54% over the past two decades, according to a new Annie E…

A federal grant will help Western Wyoming Community College meet the demand for a projected 1,500 local health-care workers in the region over the next ten years. (Adobe Stock)

College in WY Wins $3 Million Grant to Expand Health-Care Worker Pipeline

Western Wyoming Community College has won a competitive $3 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration's task force charged with …

Grace Raymond Hebard's second home, known as the Doctor's Inn at 318 S. 10th St. in Laramie, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the University Neighborhood Historic District. (Andrea Graham/Alliance for Historic Wyoming)

Project Highlights Women Who Forged, Documented Wyoming's History

Wyoming became the first U.S. territory to give women the right to vote in 1869, half a century before the nation finally followed the Cowboy State's …

Historians have traced the origins of Cheyenne Frontier Days back to 1870s riding exhibitions by a Black cowboy named Sam Stewart. Also known as

Project Uncovers Hidden Gems of Black History in Wyoming

African Americans have played a foundational role in Wyoming since the 1860s, when they served as soldiers at Fort Laramie, and owned and operated …

The 163 billion cubic feet of lost methane on public lands represents enough wasted natural gas to meet the needs of 2.2 million households; nearly as many households as New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming combined, studies show. (Adobe Stock)

Report: $500 Million Gas Lost at Oil and Gas Fields on Public Lands

Oil and gas operators waste a half billion dollars worth of natural gas on public lands every year, according to a new report. Chad Franke, …

In the fall of 2020, among four-year universities and community colleges nationwide, male freshmen enrollment declined 1.3%, while female freshmen enrollment fell 3.2%. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Bucks National Trend of Women Stopping Out of Higher Education

Wyoming has managed to buck a national trend which has seen female students opting out of college at more than twice the rate of males since 2020…

In 2021, volunteers drove or flew 42 injured raptors 9,583 miles and donated more than 165 hours of their personal time to help wild birds rehabilitate. (Adobe Stock)

Teton Raptor Center Nears Historic Restoration Goal

The Teton Raptor Center was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to help the site become a year-round de…

Six out of seven occupations identified by the Wyoming Department of Employment as the most in-demand require some form of post-secondary education. (Adobe Stock)

Cost Biggest Barrier for Native Americans to Complete Degrees

The biggest obstacle facing indigenous students completing college degrees is cost, according to a collaborative study by the National Native …

The Padlock Ranch was established in northwest Wyoming in 1867 as a sheep operation. In 1940 the Northern Arapaho Tribe purchased and renamed it the Arapaho Ranch. (Hoffman)

Tour Set for Arapaho Ranch, Former Site of Historic Padlock

On August 27, members of the public will have a rare opportunity to visit the historic Padlock Ranch first developed for livestock in 1867, now …

Education data showed 63% of Wyoming eighth graders scored below proficient in math, and 59% of fourth graders were below proficient in reading. Both figures are better than the national averages of 67% and 66%, respectively. (Adobe Stock)

New Annie E. Casey Publication Ranks Wyoming 14th for Child Well-Being

Wyoming ranks 14th in the nation for promoting children's overall well-being, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's latest report on child …

Wyoming has set a target to get 82% of Wyoming's working population ages 25-64 to complete a valuable postsecondary credential or degree by 2040. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Students Could Help with Unfilled Jobs

Nearly 95,000 Wyomingites have completed some college, but have not earned a degree or credential, according to new data from the National Student …

Lemley Mill is part of the 30-square-miles South Pass Historic Mining Area, part of the traditional homelands of the Crow, Cheyenne, and Eastern Shoshone Nations. (Historicorps/BJ Klophaus)

Volunteers at Work on Lemley Mill, Miner’s Delight Saloon

Volunteers have set up camp and are hard at work on the historic Lemley Mill in Wyoming's South Pass Historic Mining District, where the Red Desert …

Local municipalities and counties can apply to Wyoming's state historic preservation office for funding to conduct their own historical surveys. (Adobe Stock)

Towns Tap Surveys to Uncover Wyoming’s Hidden History

Summer brings plenty of opportunities to get out and discover hidden historic treasures in your community, and preservation advocates are encouraging …

Communities from across Wyoming are offering tours, pamphlets, hands-on workshops, clean-up days and more to help raise awareness of preservation efforts in local communities.<br />(Adobe Stock)

WY Governor to Mark May as Historic Preservation Month

On Thursday, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon is expected to sign a proclamation declaring May of 2022 Historic Preservation Month, part of a national …

Geraldine Lucas homesteaded in what is now Grand Teton National Park near Jackson in 1913. She was the second woman to climb the Grand Teton, at age 58. (Mary Humstone)

Uncovering Historic Wyoming Women Who Helped Build Communities

Wyoming is known for many "firsts" in women's history. It was the first state to allow women the right to vote. Wyoming also boasts the nation's …

AARP Wyoming's Virtual Fitness Program is free, open to the public, and you don't have to be an AARP member to participate. (Adobe Stock)

Older Wyomingites Dance, Write to Keep Winter Blues at Bay

As winter's cold and dark days settle in, AARP Wyoming has launched a series of fitness, writing and other creative classes to help people connect …

New voter maps can impact how public schools operate through school board elections. (Adobe Stock)

WY Panel to Deliver New Voter District Maps to Legislature

Advocates for Wyoming's Latino communities welcomed the latest voter redistricting maps advanced last week. The 62-31 plan, which is expected to be …

Wyoming's new voter districts are expected to impact how the state addresses falling fossil-fuel revenues, Medicaid expansion, and how local school boards shape public education. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Voters Urged to Give Feedback on New Voter District Maps

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Wyoming lawmakers sort through new 2020 census numbers to update voting districts, watchdog groups are encouraging all residents …

The most recent major renovations to Cheyenne's Union Pacific Depot were completed in 2006. The building now ishome to the Cheyenne Depot Museum. (Adobe Stock)

Saving More of Wyoming’s Older Buildings Could Boost Local Economies

RIVERTON, Wyo. - Community and economic-development leaders are gathering in Riverton this week for the 2021 Wyoming Working Together Conference…

Wyoming consistently has ranked among states with the highest youth confinement rates in the nation. (Adobe Stock)

Report: COVID Funds Could Help Close School-to-Prison Pipeline

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Federal school funding in response to the global pandemic, totaling nearly $190 billion, could help districts in Wyoming and across …

Nearly one in three Wyoming adults with children reported feeling down, depressed or hopeless in March. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Wyoming Still Far Behind on Children's Health Care

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Wyoming ranks 45th nationally for child health, and an estimated 15,000 Wyoming kids do not have health insurance, according to The …

A majority of women are breadwinners in their families. (Pixabay)

Survey: Moms Want More Than Breakfast in Bed This Mother’s Day

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Mother's Day draws near, a new survey conducted by the Institute for Women's Policy Research offers a clearer picture of what …

Every dollar paid out to retirees in Wyoming creates an estimated $1.12 in economic activity. (Pixabay)

Closing Wage Gap Would Boost Retirement Security for WY Women

LARAMIE, Wyo. - Women in Wyoming earn just 70 cents for every dollar a man makes, and that wage gap plays a deciding role in how and when women can …

Children see approximately 78,069 examples of

Helping Wyoming Kids Be Critical Media Consumers During Pandemic

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Kids in Wyoming and across the nation are facing more social isolation during the coronavirus pandemic, which means they're …

Calls for justice for the killing of Robert Ramirez in Laramie after a 2018 traffic stop have resurfaced in the wake of global protests targeting police violence against people of color. (Becker1999/Wikimedia Commons)

Statewide Community Forum on Racism Set for Saturday

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As the nation continues to grapple with police violence against people of color, the ACLU of Wyoming is hosting a virtual community …

Some 32,000 Wyoming kids live in homes where parents lack secure employment, and 10,000 don't have health insurance coverage. (USAF)

Wyoming Struggles to Catch Up in Children's Health

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- A new report ranks Wyoming 16th among states for the overall well-being of its children, down from last year when the Cowboy State …

Critics of the Bureau of Land Management's move to cut royalty payments worry the action incentivizes oil production during what's been called the biggest oil glut in history. (Matryx/Pixabay)

Federal Oil Royalty Cuts Expected to Impact State Budget

SHERIDAN, Wyoming -- As Wyoming faces a potential $2.8 billion budget deficit fueled by the COVID-19 crisis, lawmakers are bracing for a significant …

School food service staff members in Wyoming are shifting gears as classrooms close, and finding creative ways to make sure children don't go hungry during the COVID-19 crisis. (Wyoming Department of Education)

WY School Districts Offer Healthy Meals for Kids at Home

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Wyoming joins the national effort to protect public health in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis by closing classrooms, school …

Wyoming's retired firefighters, teachers and other public sector workers have lost an estimated 21% of their spending power since the last pension inflation adjustment in 2008. (Pixabay)

Retired Teachers, Police, Other Public Workers Could See Pension Bump

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- The cost of health care, groceries and housing has increased dramatically since 2008, the last time Wyoming's retired public …

Research shows that youth and young adults who use e-cigarettes are more likely to use other tobacco products, including traditional cigarettes. (NeedPix)

Wyoming Lawmakers, Health Experts Gather to Address Vaping Risks

CASPER, Wyo. – Wyoming teens' rising use of e-cigarettes, a relatively new nicotine delivery system also known as vaping, was the central topic …

Vertical Harvest operates on one-tenth of an acre, yet grows produce at a rate equivalent to a traditional five acre soil farm. (Vertical Harvest)

Other-Abled Workers Fuel Vertical Farm in Jackson

JACKSON, Wyo. – An indoor vertical farm in Jackson that produces and sells roughly 100,000 pounds of fresh produce annually is powered by a …

Currently, only 8% of Wyoming families can afford infant care, according to federal affordability standards. (Pixnio)

Infant Care Not Affordable for Vast Majority of Wyoming Families

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – A new Economic Policy Institute report shows how hard it is for Wyoming families to pay for early child care and education for …

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WY: Education