This Group Claims Wyoming Is Bombing In Educational Freedom

Despite new charter schools opening up in several communities, and discussions on a voucher program ongoing in the state legislature, Wyoming received a bad overall grade in a new report on education freedom. 

(These are the opinions of one research group).

The American Legislative Exchange Council of State Education Freedom gave Wyoming a "D" 

"States are increasingly recognizing that each student has his or her own unique needs, background, and learning style, and these new rankings focus on state-level policies that maximize educational opportunity for all students," said the report, which scores states in the following categories: financing programs, charter schools, homeschooling, virtual schooling and open enrolment.

The reason for Wyoming's poor grade was not about the quality of education but a zero score in the school financing section.

“They have no programs like tax credit scholarships or vouchers or educational savings accounts (ESAs) that could help families go to a private school, so, that really knocked them down,” said Andrew Handel, director of ALEC’s Education and Workforce Development Task Force,

The report also breaks down Wyoming's grades by category.

It's not all bad.

The "F" was for financing programs.

Wyoming scored a "D" in the charter schools.

A "D" in open enrollment.

A "C" in virtual schooling.

One good grade the state got was a "B" in homeschooling.

Some of our neighbors did not fare so well.

Nebraska received a hard "F."

Montana and South Dakota come in with a grade of "C."

Idaho, Colorado, and Utah each got a "B."