Megan Degenfelder, Wyoming’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction | Official Website
Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder highlighted the significance of Career and Technical Education (CTE) at an event attended by Wyoming legislators, educators, and high school members of CTE student organizations on February 10. The gathering was held to celebrate CTE and to witness Governor Mark Gordon sign a proclamation declaring February as Wyoming CTE Month.
"CTE is a key part of my strategic plan, and we’ve made great progress expanding opportunities in Wyoming, from competency and work-based learning pilots where students can move at their own pace with real-world experiences, to streamlining and increasing funding opportunities," said Degenfelder.
Degenfelder praised the students for their efforts and emphasized the importance of CTE in the education system. She also acknowledged the advancements made through collaborations with the University of Wyoming College of Education and Wyoming Community Colleges.
"The UW College of Education is a proud partner of the Wyoming Department of Education and supporter of Wyoming’s CTE community. We know the most important initiatives in our state are best served by working together. We are committed to preparing the next generation of CTE educators and have seen dramatic enrollment increases in our CTE teacher preparation program over the last year," said Jenna Shim, John P. "Jack" Ellbogen Dean, University of Wyoming College of Education.
Recent data indicates that over 9,500 secondary school students and 5,582 community college students were CTE Concentrators in 2024—an increase of 3.1 percent from 2022. These concentrators achieved a graduation rate of 95 percent compared to their peers at 81.6 percent. Additionally, 4,355 high school graduates earned college credit while still in high school, and 3,139 gained Industry Recognized Credentials through CTE courses.
The breakfast event was facilitated by the Wyoming Association for Career and Technical Education (WACTE). President Heath Hornecker expressed gratitude for the growing support for CTE programs: "I am grateful for the growing support for our Career and Technical Education programs. Stakeholders around the state realize they are not only the skilled workforce we desperately need but also solid community members who will engage and make Wyoming strong over the coming decades."
Career and Technical Student Organizations represented included DECA, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), National FFA (FFA), and SkillsUSA. In 2024, these organizations had 6,681 student members across 183 chapters in Wyoming. Business partners supported additional programs like CyberWyoming and Prostart.
For more information or media inquiries:
Linda Finnerty
Chief Communications Officer
307-777-2053
linda.finnerty@wyo.gov
Information from this article can be found here.
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