Keeping Kids in School Last summer, the Wyoming Department of Education required that each school district in the state submit a Smart Start Plan outlining how they would safely, and effectively open their schools to in-person learning amid the ongoing pandemic. Each plan was reviewed and ultimately approved by the Department of Education. K-12 schools opened in the fall of 2020, and remain open to in-person learning. Governor Mark Gordon said he was asked during a recent conference call with a number of Republican Governors about the blueprint that Wyoming has provided for safely opening schools and keeping students in the classroom.