The Wyoming Tribune Eagle (October 26, 2014) reviewed the status of the state's science standards. As NCSE previously reported, a footnote in Wyoming's budget for 2014-2016 precluded the use of state funds "for any review or adoption" of the Next Generation Science Standards, in part owing to their treatment of climate change. The Wyoming state board of education subsequently declined to develop a new set of science standards independent of the NGSS.
Mary Throne (D-District 11), who wrote the final version of the footnote, told the Tribune Eagle that it was misinterpreted: "My goal was to allow the state board to use the Next Generation Science Standards as a template and then basically 'Wyomingize' them — tweak them to fit Wyoming better, but not to throw them out all together." Throne said that she hoped to seek a repeal of the footnote in the next session of the legislature.
Marguerite Herman of Wyoming for Science Education defended the NGSS, saying, "They are high-class, 21st century, peer-reviewed [standards] and are based on what students need to know, what industry needs students to know and an understanding of how people learn science." She expressed hope that in the future Wyoming education would be free of political interference. "The Legislature set the review process back, and our kids are the losers in the process."
Despite the legislature's decision, local school districts are apparently free to adopt the NGSS, and about fifteen (of forty-eight) have done so. Still, the decision was disruptive: Jack Cozort of Laramie County School District 2 commented, "We saw the footnote, and we slammed on the brakes." Melanie Fierro of Laramie County School District 1 added, "It does put us in a little bit of a bind," but approvingly described the change to the NGSS as a "paradigm shift."
Herman worried about the effect of the lack of a set of state standards that cover climate change on teachers: "If you're in a district without [the NGSS], your hands may be tied, and you won't have the resources." NCSE's Minda Berbeco added, "Standards help set the guidelines for professional development and what teachers should know going into the classroom ... If you leave out a topic, they're less likely to learn about it."