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Funding crisis, billion dollar shortfall, district layoffs, and school finance litigation are phrases we have heard lately about education funding. Make no mistake-we face challenging times, but let us not fall to the temptation of hasty remedies and drastic measures. I am confident that we can and will find a methodical and strategic way for moving education forward in Wyoming. I have had encouraging conversations with policymakers, education professionals, and citizens about how to navigate this situation while maintaining the great progress we have made. This progress is evidenced by a national ranking of seventh for overall education quality in the “2017 Quality Counts Report by Education Week,” 2016 PAWS scores rising in almost every category, NAEP scores beating the national average, and much more.

With the legislative session pending, I wanted to communicate what I see as the most pressing and important issues facing education in early 2017:

School finance: The Wyoming Legislature should resist the temptation to “fix” the school funding model during the 2017 session. Tapping our savings, piecemeal cuts, and lobbing off parts of our school funding model are not long-term solutions to our $400 million a year shortfall. There are, however, significant savings and efficiencies that can be realized immediately through legislative action during the upcoming session. My specific recommendations for this session can be found at: edu.wyoming.gov/edfinance. Following the session, a “super” committee comprised of legislative committee chairs, education stakeholders, and advisors should go to work to determine long-term changes to the school funding model. A legislative subcommittee on education finance has already begun this work with its release of, “Wyoming K-12 Education Funding Deficit White Paper.”

Federal law: No Child Left Behind is no more. It has been replaced by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which has been described as the largest transfer of federal power to states in over a quarter century. As a result, I spent 2016 pushing back against nationally required standards and assessments, and advocating for a more robust, uniquely Wyoming accountability system that places career and military readiness on par with college readiness. The national education landscape is changing in a good way for those of us who believe in state and local control. We are seizing this opportunity by finding ways to adjust our funding streams, rules, policies, and practices away from mere federal compliance and toward better support to our schools.

Accountability for career and military readiness: For far too long, we have narrowly focused on college readiness in English and Math to define school success. It is time for our state accountability system to reward schools for preparing all students for post-secondary success in college, workforce training, a career, or service in the military. A bill I, and many others, worked on closely with the Joint Education Committee attempts to accomplish this. The business community has cried out for more emphasis on career readiness, and I am committed to engaging them in important education decisions. Another bill I support would adjust the Hathaway Scholarship Program to allow successful students on a career-training path to utilize the scholarship for workforce training.

Civics education: Thirteen states currently require students to pass the U.S. Citizenship test to graduate from high school. Representative Clem is sponsoring similar legislation, which I support and have been advising on for several months. The bill reflects the concerns of many across the state, and will serve as a catalyst to better prepare students for responsible citizenship.

Computer Science and computational thinking: Technology is a viable sector in our state’s economy and a key to diversity. We can only be serious economic contenders if we ensure an interested, prepared workforce. UW is doing its job with the Science Initiative. K-12 must step up and ensure all students have an understanding of the technological sciences and languages of computers. With support from the Joint Education Committee, I spearheaded the drafting of a bill to require a fourth year of either math or computer science as a graduation requirement.

I am monitoring many other interesting topics that could come up this session. One is an Indian education bill designed to enhance learning opportunities about Wyoming’s native cultures. Another is related to Education Savings Accounts and expanding school choice options. An Article V convention of the states joint resolution would enter Wyoming into an increasingly popular movement by states to address the national debt. There will certainly be many more as we get closer.

Thank you for your time and for what you do to make Wyoming the greatest state in the greatest country. It continues to be my utmost honor to serve as your State Superintendent.

Jillian Balow is the Wyoming State Superintendent of Public Instruction.