11/20/2025
💛📚 Wyoming families showed up with courage. And lawmakers listened.
In a packed committee room at the Capitol last week, students, parents, educators, and grandparents poured their hearts out — sharing the devastating impact of unmet reading needs in our schools.
Adolescent students cried as they described years of anxiety and self-doubt. Parents broke down while recounting the pain of watching their children move through grades unable to read. A grandfather’s voice cracked as he begged lawmakers: “Please do not fail these children.”
Many spoke of Paul Pine — the Cheyenne fifth grader whose story now represents the urgent need for change. His mother, Chandel, reminded lawmakers:
“We’re not alone. Only half of Wyoming’s children can read proficiently by third grade.”
And this time, something powerful happened:
🌟 The Joint Education Committee voted to advance the K-12 language and literacy bill.
This bill is the product of a true statewide partnership — including parents, educators, University of Wyoming College of Education, the Literacy Cabinet, WYO Right to Read, and so many others — all united around one goal: ensuring every Wyoming child can read at grade level.
From evidence-based instruction to stronger dyslexia identification, from ending debunked approaches to ensuring real intervention — this bill is the foundation our kids have desperately needed.
As one teacher testified:
“We spent 30 years digging into this hole. We can dig ourselves out — but it will take time, and it will take resources.”
And as Kim Coulter said:
“This bill is that support.”
To every family, student, and advocate who bravely shared their story — thank you.
To Paul's Paul's Mountain - Advocacy for Literacye community it has built — thank you.
To lawmakers who chose progress over perfection — thank you.
📘 Wyoming is taking a historic step forward.
And together, we are keeping a promise to every child who has felt left behind.
Legislation would create a framework for more rigorous assessment, teacher training and tailored strategies to help Wyoming’s struggling readers. “Please do not fail these children,” one grandfather said.
