The Wyoming Education Association (WEA) filed a lawsuit against various state officials last week challenging a recently enacted school voucher law.
A statement from WEA claims the voucher law, called the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act, “diverts public education funds to private entities with no meaningful oversight or accountability.”
The law, which gives as much as $7,000 per K-12 student to Wyoming families annually to pay for private education costs, was introduced in 2024. When it was introduced, the amount given was much lower, with the fund only being increased to $7,000 in 2025.
WEA’s complaint argues the law violates the Wyoming Constitution. The union alleges the law violates the constitution by directing public dollars to private enterprises, which is prohibited, and by contradicting the “complete and uniform system of education” mandated in the document.
WEA President Kim Amen claims the Steamboat policy “creates a two-tiered system in which a select few access unregulated private services, while the majority, particularly those in underserved and rural areas, are left with diminished resources and reduced opportunities.”
“Our students, families, and communities deserve better,” Amen said. “Public dollars belong in public schools.”
This lawsuit comes on the heels of another legal victory for WEA, wherein Judge Peter Froelicher ordered Wyoming to remodel its education funding policy after finding the state to be unconstitutionally underserving its public school system. WEA filed this lawsuit in 2022, and the ruling was made in February 2025.
The Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act was signed into law in March 2025 after garnering some controversy. Politicians as far up as President Donald Trump commented on the legislation.
“This would be an incredible Victory for Wyoming students and families,” a February Truth Social post from Trump reads.
“Every Member of the Wyoming Senate should vote for HB 199,” the post continues “I will be watching!”
The Wyoming House Freedom Caucus also supported the bill. The Freedom Caucus represents a further right-wing side of the Republican Party, sometimes coming into conflict with more moderate Republicans in Wyoming.
The near-total absence of Democratic seats in Wyoming has led to splits forming in the Republican-controlled legislature. The voucher bill was opposed in the House by 13 Republicans, joining 6 Democrats. In the Senate, it was opposed by 9 Republicans, joining 2 Democrats. No Democrats voted for the bill.
When reached for comment, Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder told Off The Press that while she is not surprised by the lawsuit, the timing “deeply troubles” her.
“To wait until two weeks before the funds are to begin distribution to ask for an injunction is devastating to the nearly 4,000 Wyoming families that have signed up for the program and the many service providers that are counting on those families,” Degenfelder said. “This is reckless and our Wyoming children are the collateral damage.”
Wyoming State Treasurer Curtis Meier declined to comment on the lawsuit when reached by Off The Press.
