Mead Signs SF-104

Governor Matt Mead yesterday signed Senate File 104 and went on to appoint Dr. James Rose to be the Interim Director of the Wyoming Department of Education. Governor Mead said he closely considered the Wyoming Constitution and the future of the state when making his decision to sign the bill into law. He says the last couple weeks have been a tough time for the legislature, for the Department of Education, and for the Governor’s office as well.   He admits that the people corresponding about the bill have been largely opposed to it.  He says he has taken those comments into consideration in making his decision to support the bill.  On  the other side of the issue, he says the legislature was concerned that in spite of large amounts of money spent on education, the state’s great teachers and its excellent schools, it still is not quite where the state wants to be with regard to results.  He said the legislature determined it was a structural problem in the Department of Education that has existed for many years.  Mead says he hopes the structure that has been changed is helpful for the legislature, the superintendent and the state as a whole.