Court Rejects State Bid to Dismiss School Voucher Suit
A Laramie County judge denied Wyoming's motion to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship program.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Scholarships
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Laramie County District Judge Peter Froelicher denied the state's motion for summary judgment in a lawsuit challenging the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship, which provides up to $7,000 per child for private school, charter or homeschooling costs. The program remains active, with 3,359 voucher applicants accepted as of September.
Why it matters
The ruling lets the challenge proceed toward trial, leaving the constitutionality of Wyoming's voucher program unresolved for now. Critics allege the program directs public money to private institutions that can discriminate against certain children, a claim the court has not decided.
The Steamboat Legacy Scholarship provides up to $7,000 per child, and 3,359 applicants had been accepted as of September. The program's constitutionality remains unresolved until a trial expected in mid-2027.
The players
Mark Gordon
Mark Gordon is the Republican governor of Wyoming who signed the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship into law in 2025.
Steamboat Legacy Scholarship
The Steamboat Legacy Scholarship is a Wyoming state program offering up to $7,000 per child to help families pay for private school, charter or homeschooling costs.
The details
Gov. Mark Gordon signed the program into law in spring 2025, and a district court temporarily halted payments that year while the lawsuit proceeded. In May, the Wyoming Supreme Court unpaused the program ahead of the current school year, and the judge's latest ruling keeps the case moving toward trial.
Timeline
Spring 2025: Gov. Mark Gordon signs the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship into law.
2025 school year: A district court temporarily halts program payments pending the lawsuit.
May 2026: The Wyoming Supreme Court unpauses the program for voucher payments.
September 2026: 3,359 voucher applicants are accepted.
November 2026: Judge Peter Froelicher denies the state's motion to dismiss.
Roadmap
Wyoming's Steamboat Legacy Scholarship is part of a broader state-level movement to use public education funds for private school tuition and homeschooling costs. The judge's refusal to dismiss the case keeps the program's legal footing in question as similar voucher debates continue nationally.
Families who have already been accepted into the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship can continue receiving up to $7,000 per child while the case proceeds. Parents considering private school or homeschooling should note the program's future depends on the outcome of the mid-2027 trial.
The takeaway
Wyoming's voucher program remains active, but its long-term legal status will be decided at trial. Families weighing education options should track the case as the 2027 hearing approaches.
What happens next
A trial on the constitutionality of the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship is scheduled for mid-2027.
Further reading
For related coverage, explore Scholarships to see how education funding programs like this one are structured.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Wyoming Public Media.
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