The Board of Trustees of Fremont County School District #1 (“District”) has adopted rules for employees and volunteers to carry firearms on District-owned or leased property, subject to state and federal laws, this rule, and other Board-adopted policies, rules, and regulations.
DEFINITIONS
“Board” refers to the Board of Trustees of Fremont County School District No. 1.
“Employee” shall include any person employed by Fremont County School District No. 1, including, but not limited to: the superintendent, District administrators, principals, assistant principals, teachers, guidance counselors, librarians, teacher’s aids (paraprofessionals), coaches, assistant coaches, business managers, secretaries or administrative assistants, janitors, and bus drivers, as well as other individuals hired or compensated by the District to provide any
For the purposes of this policy, a “firearm” is defined as any weapon that can or is designed to expel a projectile through the action of an explosive.
The term “school district property” refers to all real property, buildings, facilities, and structures owned or leased by Fremont County School District No. 1, as well as the District’s vehicles.
“Volunteer” shall mean any person who gives time, support, or assistance of any kind to or for the benefit of a student or students of the District, or to or for the benefit of a school or class in the District, or to or for the benefit of District staff, while on District property, or while attending a District field trip, activity, or event of any kind that is promoted, sponsored, or affiliated by the District. A “volunteer” is someone who assists, supports, supervises, or participates on a regular basis, for a single day, class, or event, or any portion of a day, class, or event. Volunteers may include, but are not limited to, those who chaperone, supervise, teach, or interact with students in class, on field trips, or during activities or events; those who are on District property to deliver food, supplies, or materials; or those who assist with or participate in events on District property for the purpose of raising funds or providing financial support for students, schools, District events, or the District.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Any District employee or volunteer who wishes to carry a firearm on school district property shall satisfy the following requirements:
I. PERMIT: The employee must possess and maintain a valid concealed carry permit issued by the State of Wyoming pursuant to W.S. § 6-8-104;
II. TRAINING: Prior to carrying a concealed weapon on school district property or to any District event or activity, employees and volunteers shall complete firearms training, which includes, at a minimum, the training and curriculum requirements described below:
A. Forty (40) hours of live fire handgun training, including but not limited to the following elements:
Equipment selection, wear, use, and maintenance to ensure safety, retention of the firearm, and deep concealment.
Firearms safety, including specific safety features and functions of the selected firearm.
Loading, reloading, unloading, and function checks under all conditions.
Stance, grip, draw, and presentation of the firearm from concealment.
Use of ready positions.
Identification and proper use of cover and concealment.
Techniques for engaging multiple adversaries.
“Failure to stop” drills.
Weapon retention.
Weapon malfunctions and remedial action.
Extensive firing drills demonstrating practical accuracy at realistic ranges.
Successful completion of the WLEA Close Range Proficiency Course at or above the standard required of law enforcement trainees.
Shoot/no shoot training.
Current laws defining lawful use of a firearm by a private citizen, including lawful self-defense, use of force by a private citizen, use of deadly force, transportation, and concealment.
B. Sixteen (16) hours of scenario-based training using nonlethal training firearms and ammunition. Scenarios shall:
Include live aggressor and non-combatant role-players.
Place individuals in the role of an armed school staff member facing an intruder, in a variety of stressful situations requiring judgment, crisis decision-making, and demonstration of firearms and tactical skills developed in live fire training.
Replicate as nearly as possible the mental, emotional, and physical stress of an actual encounter and have clear pass/fail criteria. This training shall challenge participants in the following areas:
Safe and effective interaction with other armed staff in the school, school resource officers, arriving law enforcement officers, and emergency medical first responders.
Use of verbal control techniques and de-escalation where appropriate.
Application of guidelines for the use of lethal force, including interactions with suicidal individuals.
Understanding the events and conditions likely to exist in the event of an active shooter situation in the school.
C. After successfully completing the initial training, the employee must complete recurrent training of at least twelve (12) hours every six months with an approved instructor. The biannual training requirements and curriculum must include at least six (6) hours of live fire handgun training and six (6) hours of scenario-based training with nonlethal training firearms and ammunition.
Recurrent training will include a successful completion of the WLEA Close Range Pistol Proficiency Course at or above the standard required of law enforcement trainees, as well as a review of evolving threats and developments in school security over the previous six months.
III. FUNDING: After successfully completing training, the employee may request reimbursement for expenses associated with carrying a firearm on school district property, such as instructor fees, ammunition, and training-related travel.
The District may reimburse the employee for all, some, or none of the requested expenses. Whether the District reimburses any employee for any expenses is determined by a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the District’s budget, financial resources, the number of employees seeking reimbursement, and the amounts requested for reimbursement.
A decision to reimburse an employee for all or a portion of their reimbursement request does not imply that the District will reimburse the same employee or other employees for the same or similar expenses. The District is not responsible for the purchase of any firearm or holster.
IV. FIREARMS KEPT ON PERSON: Every employee and volunteer who carries a concealed weapon on school district property must keep and maintain the firearm on his or her person at all times, or in a concealed, locked, biometric container or lock box under the individual’s direct control at all times. The concealed biometric container or lock box must be permanently secured so that it cannot be easily removed from its concealed location.
INSTRUCTOR/TRAINER QUALIFICATIONS
Instructors who train the employees of Fremont County School District No. 1 shall, at a minimum, meet the qualifications described below, in consultation with local law enforcement. These qualifications shall apply to course managers, primary instructors and anyone present and in charge of any training session.
Experience: The instructor shall have at least three (3) years of experience in law enforcement, military or other positions responsible for public safety and/or protection of personnel or assets against violent threats which involved daily carrying of a handgun; or in the alternative, documented completion of instructor certification courses or programs that develop specific skills for the design, development, implementation and evaluation of firearms tactics and training, including tactics and training in the use of firearms in public settings.
Firearms Safety: The instructor shall demonstrate knowledge and experience of firearms safety rules and practices regarding handling, carrying and use of handguns in public settings, including schools.
Firearms Skills: The instructor must be familiar with firearms handling and shooting skills, specifically with modern handguns, as documented by the successful completion of standards-based training and qualification courses.
Tactics: The instructor must be familiar with individual and small-team tactics and the use of force decision-making relevant to lethal force encounters in domestic, peacetime public settings, as documented by the successful completion of relevant training and duty performance.
Scenario-based training: The instructor must demonstrate experience as a participant and/or instructor in scenario-based, force-on-force training using non-lethal training firearms and ammunition, including knowledge of all equipment and performance requirements to ensure participant safety.
USE OF FIREARMS
Every employee who carries a concealed firearm under this rule may only fire his or her firearm if he or she reasonably believes that his or her life, or the lives of others, are in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury.
COMPLIANCE
Any employee who carries a concealed firearm under these rules and fails to comply with any provision of these rules will face disciplinary action, including termination.
LIMITATIONS OF THIS POLICY
Every employee who carries a firearm under this rule is responsible for adhering to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
Nothing in this policy authorizes a student to carry a firearm, concealed or not, on school district property. Any student who carries, possesses, transports, or uses a firearm on District property will face disciplinary action, which may include expulsion.
No open carry of firearms is permitted or allowed on District property.
Adopted: July 29, 2025
FREMONT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT #1
NOTICE OF INTENT TO AMEND RULES
FOR EMPLOYEES WHO CONCEAL CARRY FIREARMS
The Board of Trustees of Fremont County School District #1 (“District”) will consider amending the rules and regulations (known as Rule CKA) for concealed carry of firearms at a meeting on July 29, 2025 at 6:00 p.m., in the Board Room, 863 Sweetwater Street, Lander, Wyoming 82520, in accordance with W.S. § 16-3-103 and 6-8-lOS(f).
The proposed amendments to the rules change the requirements and conditions for District employees and volunteers who carry concealed firearms on District property in order to protect students and staff. The proposed amendments update existing rules to align with W.S. § 6-8-105(f).
The proposed amended rules are available online at www.landerschools.org, on Facebook, and at the District’s main office, 863 Sweetwater Street, Lander, Wyoming 82520.
The proposed amended rules specify the requirements for District employees and volunteers who conceal carry firearms at school. The proposed amended rules:
Require employees and volunteers who wish to conceal carry a firearm to possess a valid conceal-carry permit issued by the State of Wyoming;
Establish guidelines on what the District may or may not pay for with regard to employees who wish to carry concealed firearms on school district property
Establish initial firearms training and biannual re-training requirements for employees and volunteers who conceal carry firearms;
Require employees and volunteers to maintain the firearm on their person or in a concealed biometric container or box within their direct control at all times;
Establish ongoing training requirements, curricula and instructor qualifications for the persons training employees and volunteers;
Prohibit open carrying of firearms.
The proposed amendments would eliminate the following requirements in Rule CKA:
The process by which employees apply to the board for permission to conceal carry a weapon;
The requirements and guidelines for specific firearms and holsters;
Former rules/ policies CKA-E; CKA- R2; CKA-R2-E; CKA-R3; CKA-R4 and CKA-RS;
The requirements for, among other things, the psychological suitability examination; drug and alcohol testing; and submitting to the Wyoming Department of Family Services Central Registry Screening.
The proposed rules’ primary reason and purpose is to ensure that employees and volunteers who conceal carry firearms are trained and knowledgeable about the safe and proper use of firearms, including live-fire scenarios.
The amended rules, like the District’s current rules (adopted in 2020), exceed the minimum substantive state statutory standards. The proposed amendments require more hours of training for employees and volunteers to conceal carry a firearm than is mandated by state law.
The amended rules go above and beyond the state’s statutory minimum to ensure that employees and volunteers who carry a concealed weapon have adequate training to use a firearm safely and responsibly in the event of an active shooter on school grounds, as well as in accordance with relevant protocols and standards.
The District complied with W.S. § 9-5-304 and found no constitutional implications as described. A copy of the proposed rule assessment, as per W.S. § 9-5-304, is available at 863 Sweetwater Street, Lander, WY 82520.
Interested parties may attend the District’s Board of Trustees meeting on July 29, 2025, at 6 p.m. in the Board Room, located at 863 Sweetwater Street, Lander, Wyoming 82520, and present their views, comments, objections, or requested changes to the proposed rules.
