The bill establishes a public lab school for students in kindergarten through grade eight (K-8) in Wyoming, which will be a collaborative effort between the University of Wyoming and the local resident school district. The purpose of the lab school is to promote learner-centered instruction, serve as a teacher education site, and identify effective teaching practices for broader application in public schools. The school will be governed by a board consisting of eight members, including representatives from the resident school district, the University of Wyoming, and parents, with the principal of the lab school serving as an ex-officio member. The governing board will be responsible for the school's operations, including budgeting and contracting for services.
The bill outlines the admission process, stating that the lab school will accept students from the resident school district based on capacity, with a maximum of 200 students. If applications exceed capacity, a lottery system will be used for enrollment, while giving preference to returning students and their siblings. Funding for the lab school will be provided through the education resource block grant model, and the school is expected to begin operations by the 2025-2026 school year. Additionally, the bill specifies that the lab school will not be classified as a new school for funding purposes, allowing it to utilize data from the University of Wyoming Lab School for resource generation in its initial year.