Teton Science Schools and the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) is thrilled to launch the Wyoming Place-Based Education Microcredential for the first time in June 2026. The program includes a summer online course and then an in-person intensive workshop for educators. Teacher participants will be asked to design and facilitate a place-based unit or project for their upcoming teaching.
Two of the program organizers are Amy Reyes, the GET WILD WYO! Coordinator and the Early Learning Specialist for the Wyoming Department of Education, and Leslie Cook is the Head of Professional Learning at Teton Science Schools. Read below for the interview with Amy and Leslie about place-based education, the Microcredential, and the opportunities this program offers for Wyoming students, teachers, schools, and communities. Registration information is available here.
What is place-based education (PBE)?
- Leslie – Place-based education is all about connecting learning and community to make learning more relevant and meaningful to students. We approach place-based education through the ecological, cultural, and economic perspectives of a community; you can inquire into the history or present of a place and design for its future. You can find out more on our website.
Why are you excited about the Place-Based Education Microcredential?
- Amy – What excites me most about this Microcredential is the opportunity to fully leverage Wyoming’s incredible natural and cultural landscape as a living classroom. Our state offers an unparalleled backdrop for learning, but intentionally designing curriculum that meets rigorous state standards while utilizing the local environment takes a specific skill set.I’m eager to learn how to better connect Wyoming students and teachers with their local roots while simultaneously building the critical-thinking skills they need to succeed globally.
- Leslie – Wyoming is an amazing place, and I hope all of our students and teachers have the chance to get to learn more about what makes Wyoming so unique. This Microcredential will help prepare teachers to make their teaching more relevant to their students and linked to the places and communities where their students call home.
For teachers, why will having place-based education training and a microcredential be valuable?
- Amy – For teachers, earning a place-based education microcredential isn’t just about adding another line to a resume; it’s about gaining a highly practical toolkit that solves some of the biggest daily challenges in modern classrooms. Place-based education eliminates abstract, disconnected textbook examples and replaces them with local, tangible realities. When you learn how to anchor state standards in a local river ecosystem, a community economic issue, or town history, students instantly see the relevance. High engagement naturally leads to better classroom management and deeper retention.
- Leslie – At Teton Science Schools, we see place-based education benefit student engagement and learning, teacher well-being, and school and community connectedness – all of these are important benefits of place-based education and why a microcredential will be such an asset for Wyoming teachers.
For administrators, why would you want to send teachers to get a Place-Based Education Microcredential? Why would you want to hire teachers with a Place-Based Education Microcredential?
- Amy – For school administrators, superintendents, principals, and curriculum directors, investing in place-based education training isn’t just about professional development; it’s a strategic move that addresses district-level goals, student retention, and community relations.Traditional professional development often costs districts money for “passive attendance.” This Microcredential is portfolio-based. It requires an intensive asynchronous framework, followed by a 5-day immersive session at Teton Science Schools, where teachers design a standards-aligned unit to implement in the upcoming school year. You know exactly what you are paying for.
When a teacher returns, they aren’t just bringing back a certificate; they are bringing back a fully developed, rigorous, community-focused unit ready to launch in the 2026-27 school year. The Bottom Line for Leadership: Supporting or hiring a PBE microcredentialed teacher directly translates to higher student engagement, stronger community ties, and lower teacher turnover. It turns the school into a vital organ of the local community.
How would you recommend districts or schools find funding for the microcredential?
- Amy – Finding the budget to fund professional development, travel, and microcredential programs requires looking at a mix of federal allocations, state-specific grants, and community-focused partnerships. Because the Place-Based Education Microcredential directly impacts student engagement, community integration, and rural teacher retention, it fits cleanly into several traditional and non-traditional funding streams.
- Leslie – We hope that schools & districts can use the funding streams Amy mentioned. If those sources are not able to cover all costs, please reach out to professionallearning@tetonscience.org so we can work with you to find a way to enroll in the program.
For Amy – how does the Place-Based Education Microcredential align with the Get Wild Wyoming (GWW) initiative?
The Place-Based Education Microcredential and the Get Wild Wyoming initiative are two sides of the same coin. While Get Wild Wyoming provides the vision and cultural push to get kids outside, the PBE microcredential gives teachers the pedagogical blueprint to make that time academically rigorous. Get Wild Wyoming gets the kids out of their chairs and into the fresh air; the Place-Based Education Microcredential ensures that once they are out there, deep, high-quality learning takes place.
Registration for beginning the Microcredential closes on June 20th, so get signed up today! Contact professionallearning@tetonscience.org for additional information.