Wyoming

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Policy Strategies & Innovations Link copied!

Innovation Name Innovation Type Innovation Subtype Features at a Glance Strategy Summary
Wyoming Early Childhood State Advisory Council (ECSAC) Infrastructure Systems Administrative + Governance Models

20-member advisory council supports collaboration and coordination across state early education agencies and programs

Originally created in 1997, Wyoming’s 20-member Early Childhood State Advisory Council (ECSAC) supports collaboration and coordination across the state’s early education agencies and programs. A 2019 executive order outlines the Council’s duties:

  • Conducting a periodic statewide needs assessment, broadly considering the community context and data indicators that reflect the well-being, health and success of young children and their families;
  • Identifying opportunities for, and barriers to, practice and policy coordination and collaboration among federally funded child development, child care, and early childhood education programs and services, including collaboration and coordination among state agencies and partners responsible for administering such programs;
  • Developing recommendations for the governor, state agencies, statewide and local early childhood initiatives, and/or direct services providers who work with young children and families;
  • Working with state agencies to harness the expertise of early childhood providers and stakeholders in implementing state and federal grants, including the development of early childhood policies necessary for the Federal Child Care Development Block Grant Fund, and;
  • Reporting once per year to the governor on the needs of Wyoming’s youngest children and the impact of the state’s early childhood programs, including recommendations and collaborative actions that would increase that impact. Members of the council include state agency administrators, elected officials, governor’s office staff, educators, parents, advocates, and others.
Learn More: Wyoming Early Childhood State Advisory Council

Sources:

Wyoming Department of Family Services. (1997). Wyoming Early Childhood State Advisory Council (ECSAC).

State of Wyoming Executive Department. (2019). Order 2019-4: Wyoming Early Childhood State Advisory Council.

Wyoming Department of Family Services. (2019). Wyoming Early Childhood State Advisory Council Roster.
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Demographics Link copied!

State population

581,381 Source U.S. Census, 2022

Rural %

38.0% Source U.S. Census, 2020

Urban %

62.0% Source U.S. Census, 2020

Number of children age 0-4

32,291 Source KIDS COUNT, 2021

Poverty levels – children 0-8 below 200% poverty

36% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021

Median family income among households with children

$81,700.00 Source KIDS COUNT, 2021

Unemployment rate

3.7% Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, December 2022

Unemployment rate of parents

4% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021

Children under age 6 with all available parents in the labor force

N/A, for most states between 65%-75% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021

Children living in households with a high housing cost burden

24% Source KIDS COUNT, 2021

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Child population by race and ethnicity Source KIDS COUNT, 2021

Race and Ethnicity

  • American Indian and Alaska Native (3%)
  • Asian (1%)
  • Black or African American (1%)
  • Hispanic or Latino (16%)
  • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.5%)
  • Two or More Races (3%)
  • White, not Hispanic or Latino (76%)
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Political Landscape Link copied!

Year20232022202120202019
GovernorRRRRR
HouseRRRRR
SenateRRRRR
Source: Ballotpedia 2023

Early Childhood Education Programs Link copied!

Public pre-K program name

N/A Source: NIEER 2023

Universal or targeted pre-K policy

N/A Source: NIEER 2023

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Percent of 3-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Public Early Childhood Education Programs Source: NIEER 2023

Programs

  • 3-year-old children enrolled in state-funded public pre-K (0%)
  • 3-year-old children enrolled in Head Start (10%)
  • Other/none (90%)
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Percent of 4-Year-Old Children Enrolled in Public Early Childhood Education Programs Source: NIEER 2023

Programs

  • 4-year-old children enrolled in state-funded public pre-K (0%)
  • 4-year-old children enrolled in Head Start (9%)
  • Other/none (91%)
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Workforce Link copied!

2017–2019 Median Hourly Wages Source CSCCE 2018, 2020

Role

  • Child care workers
  • Preschool teachers
  • Preschool or child care center directors
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Funding Sources Link copied!

Federal and State Early Childhood Education Funding (in millions) Source First Five Years Fund, 2022

Funding source

  • Head Start and Early Head Start Funding ($24.3)
  • CCDBG & Mandatory Funds ($12.7)
  • CCDBG State Match ($2.4)
  • CCDBG COVID Relief Allocations – CARES, CRRSE, ARPA (CCDF & Stabilization) ($64)
  • MIECHV ($1.2)
  • IDEA Part C ($3.6)
  • IDEA Part B, Sec 619 ($1.7)
  • TANF Early Learning and Care Expenditures ($3.3)
  • Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five ($16.3)
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Funding acronyms: CCDBG: Child Care and Development Block Grant; CARES Act: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act; CRRSE Act: Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations; ARPA: American Rescue Plan Act; CCDF: Child Care and Development Fund; MIECHV: Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program; IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; TANF: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

The COVID Funding Cliff

All federal COVID relief allocations, including funding authorized by the CARES, CRRSE, and ARPA bills, must be fully spent by September 2024. An analysis from the Century Foundation shows this loss of funds could cause more than 3 million children to lose access to child care nationwide – including more than 6,000 children in Wyoming.

Learn More