Wyoming Joins List of States Offering All Families Educational Choice

Chantal Fennell

March 4, 2025
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Press Release: For Immediate Release
March 4, 2025

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact:
Chantal Lovell
[email protected] | 989-251-8388

Wyoming Joins List of States Offering All Families Educational Choice

Expanded ESA program brings total of states with universal school choice to 16

Today, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon signed a bill into law, expanding the state’s small education savings account (ESA) program that was created last year.

Going forward, any student in the state may apply to participate in the program; previously, it was open only to students from low-income households. Wyoming is the 16th state to make school choice available to all students. Participating families will be eligible to receive $7,000 annually to use on a wide variety of qualified educational expenses for their students. The expansion will go into effect this year, meaning all students may apply for an ESA for the 2025-2026 school year.

“Wyoming’s lawmakers fought the hard fight and demonstrated remarkable leadership in expanding their ESA program to include all students,” said EdChoice President & CEO Robert Enlow. “By enacting this legislation, Wyoming is empowering parents with new and exciting opportunities for children to thrive. All three major pieces of school choice legislation enacted this year embrace universal eligibility, and this is a defining moment in the fight for educational freedom. Wyoming is leading the way toward a more inclusive and accessible future for students everywhere.”

Previously, Wyoming’s ESA program was limited to students from low-income families; only 21% of students were eligible. While the expansion will make every student eligible to apply for an ESA, the program will be funded through at $30 million appropriation, meaning there is only enough money to provide scholarships to approximately 4% of students. There will be a priority system: first, renewing students, then siblings of students who are renewing.

Of the 83 school choice programs on the books across the country, 19 are ESAs. Nationwide, 16 programs (including Wyoming’s) are available to all students within the state.

To speak with Robert Enlow or an EdChoice scholar about the Wyoming program, educational choice trends and legislation, or existing programs across the country, contact Chantal Fennell at [email protected], or 989-251-8388.

EdChoice is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to empower every family to choose the learning environment that fits their children’s needs best. Learn more at edchoice.org.

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Chantal Fennell

Vice President of Communications

Chantal is the Vice President of Communications at EdChoice, where she directs the organization’s communications efforts, and manages its brand and public relations.

Prior to joining the EdChoice team, Chantal served as the Director of Policy Advancement at the State Policy Network, where she worked with state-based organizations to advance policy reforms. Before that, Chantal worked as the communications manager at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Michigan, and as the Nevada Policy Research Institute’s communications director.

Prior to beginning her career in the policy advocacy movement, Chantal was a journalist in California, where she received awards from the California Newspaper Publishers Association for investigative reporting, economic reporting, and features writing. During her time as a reporter, Chantal authored an exposé that resulted in the creation of one of the nation’s first-ever curriculum for high school students with high-functioning autism.

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