GREEN RIVER — Sweetwater County School District No. 2’s Board of Trustees approved its 2026-27 budget Tuesday night, which included discontinuing indoor track, spring tennis and spring golf as the district works to address more than $1.2 million in budget reductions driven by declining enrollment and changes to Wyoming’s school funding model.

District officials said the changes are considered a program realignment rather than the elimination of sports because fall golf, fall tennis and spring track will remain in place. However, Green River students at this time will no longer have the opportunity to compete in indoor track, spring golf or spring tennis through the district during the 2026-27 school year.

The cuts are part of $245,242 in savings identified through activity reductions and extra-duty stipend reallocations. The district is also making $1,215,347 in non-instructional budget reductions across departments, including the reduction of one principal position, several custodial, maintenance and food service positions and the consolidation of central administration staff.

According to information presented by the district, Sweetwater County School District No. 2 has experienced a loss of 94 students in average daily membership, resulting in an estimated $1.2 million reduction in state funding. The state also reduced the district’s activities budget by $241,384 and will recapture 50% of the interest earned in the district’s general fund, creating an additional $275,000 annual budget deficit.

District officials said the district has historically spent approximately $400,000 annually from its general fund to subsidize athletics and activities.

Public comment focused heavily on preserving the affected programs.

Wyoming House District 60 Representative Marlene Brady spoke on behalf of Rep. Scott Heiner, co-chair of the Joint Education Interim Committee’s recalibration committee, who said legislators are working to restore activity funding and are considering options that could make funding increases retroactive to the 2026-27 school year. He requested the board refrain from eliminating activities until legislative solutions can be considered.

State Sen. Laura Pearson urged the board to keep the programs intact.

“I’m asking that you keep these activities whole,” Pearson said. “The implications on the children that will be affected by the decision you make tonight should be our number one focus.”

Pearson also expressed concern that if activity funding is restored by the Legislature in the future, programs that are cut now may never return.

Indoor track athlete Noah Hemphill asked the board to reconsider the decision, noting he has participated in the sport for eight years and hoped to pursue school records during his senior season.

“Please save my program,” Hemphill said. “How would you feel if your best sport was taken away for your senior year?”

Spring tennis assistant coach and Green River High School graduate Haylen Cordova said the spring season plays a critical role in player development. She noted that younger athletes benefit from additional competition opportunities and credited the program for helping Green River remain competitive despite its smaller enrollment.

Green River High School boys tennis finished last season undefeated during the regular season and won the 4A South Regional Championship.

Tennis head coach Phill Harder acknowledged the difficult position facing the board.

“You guys are at an impossible impasse,” Harder said.

He noted that school districts likely will not know until February or March whether lawmakers will restore activity funding, making it difficult to budget around promises of future changes.

“At the end of the day, we won’t know till February or March if that money is coming,” Harder said. “Chances are, it will be cut, just know that we’ll keep working hard and hopefully they fix it.”

Harder added that while he remains hopeful the program could return in the future, it is difficult to accept the possibility of losing it.

“It’s hard to accept that your program is gonna be cut,” he said.

Green River graduate and University of South Dakota track and field athlete Lillian Allison told the board that indoor track played a major role in helping her earn the opportunity to compete collegiately. Allison is a school record holder in the weight throw and earned multiple all-state honors during her time at Green River High School.

Board members said the decision ultimately came down to long-term financial planning rather than a lack of support for student activities.

Board member Tom Wilson, a former athletic director who previously advocated for adding indoor track, said the district cannot make budgeting decisions based on potential legislative changes.

“We can’t put our weight in what might happen,” Wilson said.

Wilson noted that approximately 95% of legislators voted in favor of the recalibration changes and said it is unrealistic for the district to assume lawmakers will reverse course before the upcoming school year.

“Unfortunately, with enrollment declining by the model provided by our lawmakers, we’re asked to do more with less,” Wilson said.

Wilson reiterated that the district already subsidizes activities by approximately $400,000 annually beyond state funding and is now facing an additional $240,000 shortfall under the new funding model.

Board member Tate Davis described the situation as a “lose-lose situation” and said the board’s responsibility is to ensure the district’s long-term financial stability.

“It’s hard to look these students in the face and not hurt for them,” Davis said.

Following the meeting, Superintendent Dr. Scott Cooper said the district’s financial challenges extend beyond activity funding reductions.

Cooper explained that changes in state funding formulas, declining enrollment and the loss of interest revenue have compounded the district’s budget problems. The district previously benefited from property tax revenues generated by local industry and interest earned on funds held in reserve, both of which helped subsidize extracurricular programs.

Cooper also noted that spring golf and spring tennis were the only athletic programs receiving funding for two paid seasons. Other sports receive funding for one official season, while coaches often volunteer their time during offseason training opportunities.

Indoor track presents unique challenges because Green River does not have an indoor facility, requiring athletes to travel regularly to competitions in other communities and, at times, out of state.

While the district is discontinuing the programs for the 2026-27 school year, Cooper said student-athletes may still be able to participate through cooperative arrangements with neighboring districts.

He said Sweetwater County School District No. 2 has already begun discussions with Sweetwater County School District No. 1 regarding opportunities for Green River students to compete in sports not offered by their home district, including indoor track.

Statewide, similar arrangements already exist among smaller Wyoming school districts for sports and activities not offered locally.

Cooper said the board has indicated it would consider reinstating programs if significant additional funding becomes available in the future. However, potential legislative action or court rulings related to Wyoming’s school funding model are unlikely to occur in time to affect the upcoming winter and spring sports seasons.