Education in America has changed since the National Commission on Excellence released its report, "A Nation at Risk," in 1983.

The 65-page document slammed the quality of American teachers and learning in schools, and as a result, the modern school reform movement was born.

In Wyoming, schools are funded differently, they are built differently, and students learn differently than they were 25 years ago.

"We're at a point now where the school districts are funded much more on what it costs to deliver education in that region, versus the amount of tax [collected]," said Jim McBride, the state's superintendent of public instruction.

A new funding model adopted several years ago gave districts, on average, increased funding by 34 percent, McBride added. Schools now have the resources to offer after school programs, extended days, full-day kindergartens and instructional facilitators.

An increase in teacher salaries followed. In 2005, a first-year teacher's salary averaged about $32,000. In 2006, it jumped to $40,000, roughly the same amount a first-year teacher currently makes.

"We think that's pretty impressive," McBride said. "We're pretty proud of where we are."

Wyoming's schools now draw teachers from Montana, Idaho and South Dakota who are eager to earn higher wages than their home states offer.

Students have seen the fruits of the funding increase with the Hathaway Scholarship, an in-state program that pays for students to attend a Wyoming college.

"A good student in the state of Wyoming can now attend our university or one of our community colleges very nearly for free," McBride said.

The state Department of Education also strengthened charter school laws after Wyoming became a "safe-haven for diploma mills," McBride said. Ten schools have closed because they could not obtain proper accreditation.

"That has made a huge improvement in our academic reputation with the United States Department of Education and Washington, in general," McBride said.

Wyoming also created the School Facilities Commission to prioritize construction projects and developed a video network used to deliver distance education across the state.

The introduction of the No Child Left Behind Act also impacted teachers and students, though Wyoming already had a state standardized test in place, which put it a step ahead, McBride said.

Natrona County superintendent Jim Lowham said standardized testing reinforced the belief of policy makers that schools should be held accountable for their work.

"Students need to be literate, and they have to have numeracy skills," Lowham said. "Nobody can argue those aren't necessary."

The use of testing data has also evolved. Teachers are provided with individual student results, and keep close tabs on growth assessments which indicate how students are progressing.

In addition, schools now focus on melding career and technical education with traditional academics, Lowham said. By exploring careers, students see what they're learning is relevant to life after school.

"It's a common question, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?'" Lowham said. "Using career and technical education will make that relevant."

Reach education reporter Jasa Santos at (307) 266-0593 or at Jasa.Santos@trib.com.