Judge voids state ruling on Sweetwater special ed

Third Judicial District Judge Clark Stith overturned a state finding that Sweetwater County School District No. 1 violated federal special education law. The ruling, issued this week, reverses the Wyoming Department of Education's January 2026 determination that the district improperly disclosed confidential student information. Stith also rejected the state's claim that the district interfered with a parent's right to participate in the special education process.

The district announced the decision in a statement on Friday, Nov. 13. School board Chairman Cole Wright said the ruling validates the work of employees who maintained they followed the law. Wright noted that the board believed the evidence did not support the state's original findings. "Our employees and our community deserved to have the facts set straight," Wright said in the statement.

The dispute began in January 2026 when the Wyoming Department of Education issued a determination against the district. The state alleged violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act regarding student confidentiality and parental participation. The district appealed the state's decision to district court. After reviewing the record, Stith concluded that the state agency's decision rested on factually unsupported and unexplained conclusions. He ordered the department to issue a new determination finding no violation.

This legal victory occurs against the backdrop of a broader state investigation into the district's special education practices. In January, Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder announced special monitoring of the district following parent complaints. The state conducted a five-day monitoring visit in February, interviewing staff and reviewing records. The investigation focused on five areas, including parental participation, implementation of individualized education programs, staff qualifications, and student confidentiality.

In June, the department released a 29-page report. The report found the district out of compliance in four of the five areas examined. State investigators reported that 60% of the student records reviewed showed services were not delivered according to students' individualized education programs. The report also identified 30 unlicensed teachers or providers working in special education roles. The district was found compliant in the area of student confidentiality, which is the specific area addressed by Stith's recent ruling.

Former school board member Cole Seppie described the June findings as evidence of systemic problems. "This wasn't a failure by just one person. This is a systemic failure," Seppie told Cowboy State Daily in June. The state gave the district one year to correct the deficiencies identified in the monitoring report. Then-Superintendent Joseph Libby criticized the monitoring process in March, citing scheduling inconsistencies and a lack of formal interviews with building principals. Libby was placed on paid administrative leave in September.

The court's decision does not explicitly overturn the June monitoring report or its findings. The January complaint and the February monitoring review were separate proceedings. District leaders say the ruling confirms that employees involved in the specific January complaint followed the law. The district said it will not identify or comment on any students or families involved, citing student privacy responsibilities.

The state gave the district a deadline of one year from the June report to correct the identified deficiencies. Parents continue to raise concerns about staffing shortages and supervision. The district has not commented on why Libby was placed on administrative leave. The next step in the legal process involves the state agency issuing the new determination ordered by Stith.