JACKSON, Wyo. — After seven years of leadership in the Teton County School District, outgoing Superintendent Gillian Chapman expressed frustration and disappointment that overcrowding at Jackson Hole High School remains unresolved — and pointed to the state’s construction funding system as a root cause.

Speaking during a June 11 Teton County School Board meeting, Chapman reflected on her tenure and the stalled progress on a long-planned project known as the Bronc Achievement Center, designed to expand student capacity and enhance academic facilities.

“[The] process districts undergo to fund construction projects is ‘not equitable,’” Chapman told board members, directing her criticism at both the State Construction Department and the Wyoming Legislature, which play key roles in determining funding priorities for school facilities across the state.

Despite years of planning and community advocacy, the Bronc Achievement Center and other capital improvement projects remain in limbo, with no clear timeline or funding commitment from the state.

Chapman’s remarks come as she prepares to step down as superintendent in the coming weeks, marking the end of a tenure that saw rising student enrollment and increasing demand for upgraded and expanded facilities.

The Bronc Achievement Center, featured in public renderings and community planning sessions, was proposed to alleviate overcrowding at the high school, which serves a growing population in the rapidly developing Jackson area. However, without state approval, the project has been unable to move forward.

Chapman’s concerns reflect a broader sentiment among local education leaders who say Wyoming’s school construction approval system favors some districts over others, often leaving fast-growing or remote areas at a disadvantage. The state’s system for determining "need" in capital projects has been criticized for lacking transparency and flexibility.

While Chapman did not name specific districts receiving preferential treatment, her call for equity underscores ongoing tensions between local districts and state officials over who gets funding — and when.

As Chapman exits, Teton County’s capacity challenges remain unresolved, leaving her successor to navigate an increasingly urgent issue. The school board has yet to outline a new strategy for addressing the high school’s overcrowding in the absence of state support.

Her remarks highlight the broader challenges rural and resort-area districts face in securing timely funding for essential infrastructure — a topic likely to remain a key issue during the upcoming legislative session.

Originally reported by Jasmine Hall in JH News and Guide.