MARCH 5, 2025|
Photo – House District 14 Representative Trey Sherwood – Courtesy treysherwood.com
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon is set to sign a resolution supporting rural schools.
House Joint Resolution Three is a bill solidifying the state’s commitment to support rural schools. The measure was sponsored by Albany County Democrat Trey Sherwood following the establishment of the Antelope Creek School in the rural ranching community of Garrett, Wyoming.
Last summer, Bigfoot 99 summer reported on Carbon County Commissioners selling a building to Albany County and its slow transport to Garrett where it now serves as a schoolhouse for several children and a home for the teacher who lives there.
During the February 26th Senate Education Committee meeting, Representative Sherwood highlighted the number of rural schools that existed since the state’s formation, 135 years ago. Since that time, rural schools have continued to play an important part in the lives of students.
Representative Sherwood explained that the Wyoming constitution guarantees a high-quality and equitable education for all students, no matter where they are located within the state.
Next, Garrett rancher Anne Anderson emphasized the importance of rural schools. Anderson said rural students face additional hurdles when attempting to receive the type of education guaranteed to them by the state constitution.
In 2022, Anne Anderson, and her husband Carson, began a legal battle against the Albany County School District to have a school constructed in their rural ranching community of Garrett. The Andersons were told that the small population of their town, reported to be roughly 20 residents, did not warrant its own schoolhouse. The school district told the Andersons that they would have to send their two young children to the Rock River School, located over 40 miles away, along mostly unpaved roads.
The case made its way to the Wyoming Supreme Court, which dismissed the lawsuit to a lack of jurisdiction. However, the matter got the attention of the Wyoming state legislature, who set aside $300,000 towards the construction of a new schoolhouse in Garrett.
After hearing about the court case, Carbon County Commissioner Sue Jones, who was the board chair at the time, offered to sell an unused county-owned building in Medicine Bow to the Albany School District for roughly $80,000.
Using impact assistant money, Carbon County purchased the building years ago to house a sheriff’s deputy and a county road and bridge employee. However, the structure ended up not being needed and sat vacant for several years until it was sold to Albany County last August.
Last September, using money from the state, the Albany County School District paid to move the building from Medicine Bow to Garrett. Over the course of two days, the structure traveled along Highway 30 and the unpaved Fetterman Road until it reached the remote ranching community, becoming the Antelope Creek School.
Since that time, the Anderson family has continued to fight to ensure that all Wyoming students, regardless of where they live, have access to a quality education.
At the February 26th Senate Education Committee meeting, Mrs. Anderson explained how eliminating rural schools negatively impacts the entire community. This includes children who must travel long distances on potentially dangerous roads or whose families must relocate closer to the school to ensure continued access to education.
Anderson said ranchers and ag producers deserve to educate their children close to home. The Garrett rancher said House Joint Resolution Three will guarantee that all Wyoming students have access to the same level of education.
Following Anderson’s remarks, Professional Teaching Standards Board Executive Director Brendan O’Conner spoke out in favor of the resolution.
O’Conner said his organization, which is responsible for overseeing the licensing and certification of educators in Wyoming, is developing rules to allow remote elementary school teachers, like those at the Antelope Creek School, to teach middle school. The proposed rules will allow students to stay at their rural school longer before needing to transition to a separate high school.
After hearing from other speakers, all of whom supported the bill, Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Senator Wendy Schuler called for a vote. House Joint Resolution Three was passed unanimously.
The measure was taken up by the full Wyoming Senate yesterday, March 3rd, where it passed by a vote of 25 for and 6 against. The next step will be for Governor Mark Gordon to sign the resolution into law.
In a written statement provided by Anne Anderson, she thanked Representative Trey Sherwood for her help and support with the bill.
Anderson’s fight to ensure educational equality isn’t over. In her statement, the rancher wrote, “This isn’t just about one school—it’s about the future of rural communities, about fairness, and about keeping families together. It’s about honoring our past and building a future where every child has the chance to thrive. When we invest in our children, we invest in the heart and soul of Wyoming itself—with love, hope, and an unshakeable belief that every child deserves to learn and grow close to the land they call home.”
