Wyoming rejects drop out age bill - KOTA Territory News
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Wyoming lawmakers decided against a bill that would change the state's minimum drop out age from 16 to 18.
The State Senate rejected legislation that would require students to wait until they turn 18 before they could drop out of high school.
The bill would have let kids younger than 18 leave school if the parents agreed.
Many administrators are disappointed, like Sheridan High School principal Dirlene Wheeler, who says some kids decide too early when they begin high school.
"It's just that critical freshman year. It's a hard thing for a lot of kids because they have maybe learning difficulties with reading or writing or math," said Wheeler.
Sheridan school officials say the district's graduation rate is 12 percent better than five years ago, but more prevention measures are needed at the state level.
"When a student is identified as being at risk, (we try) to have as many different systems in place to prevent them from actually failing because if we can prevent them from failing, then we can keep them in school," said high school English teacher Kate Wallop.
Lawmakers say the bill faced intense lobbying and opposition from home-school parents.
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