Short answer
How do LCSD1 teachers move to a higher column on the salary schedule?
LCSD1 counts hours or degrees from accredited institutions "earned in a field applicable to their current teaching assignment." You give written notice of the planned change, your principal or immediate supervisor approves the coursework, and official transcripts go to the Executive Director of Human Resources. Column shift requests are due by January 31 (pay effective February 1) or September 30 (pay effective October 1).
Source: Negotiated agreement between LCSD1 and CTEA, 2026-2027, Section VI, Article 1. Checked .
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How is the LCSD1 teacher salary schedule organized?
The 2026-2027 agreement runs from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027; its signature page is dated "this 30th day of June 2026," and the district posted it with a Board of Trustees regular meeting. Its CTEA salary schedule has these columns:
- RN/ROTC, a separate column listed first on the schedule.
- BA, BA+15, BA+30 and BA+45 for teachers with a bachelor's degree.
- MA, MA+15, MA+30 and MA+45 for teachers with a master's degree.
- DR for a doctorate.
Experience runs down the side in steps 1 through 26 in the RN/ROTC, BA and BA+15 columns, through 27 in BA+30 to MA+30, and through 28 in MA+45 and DR, with a final row marked "Varies"; the schedule is headed "Salary Schedule - Cell Adjustment." For 2026-2027 the agreement says "Employees shall be granted one (1) step advancements for the 2026-2027 salary schedule" and "Approved column advancement shall be permitted for eligible employees for the 2026-2027 salary placement." The in-school work year "must not exceed one hundred eighty-five (185) days." We do not reproduce the dollar figures; they are in the agreement. If you are new to the grid, how to read a salary schedule walks through one cell at a time.
Which hours count toward an LCSD1 column change?
Section VI, Article 1 of the agreement sets the rules:
- Relevance. Members "must be given credit for hours or degrees earned in a field applicable to their current teaching assignment."
- Timing. "Additional placement hours must be earned following the granting of that degree," so hours toward BA+ columns come after the bachelor's and hours toward MA+ columns after the master's.
- No reuse. "Credit hours used for previous salary placement shall not be counted."
- Accreditation. "Credits or degrees earned at accredited institutions shall be counted for salary advancement."
The agreement counts hours in fifteens through its column names (BA+15, BA+30, BA+45, MA+15 and so on), and it does not list course types beyond the relevance and accreditation tests. Workshop credits from the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board are a renewal tool, and the agreement's credit rule speaks of accredited institutions; our Wyoming guide explains the difference. Our units that count article covers how districts read relevance tests.
Does LCSD1 require approval before you take a course?
Yes. The agreement says "All salary placements must be approved by the Executive Director of Human Resources" and lists the criteria:
- "Notice of the anticipated change was made in writing."
- "The contemplated course work was approved by the employee's principal or immediate supervisor."
- Official transcripts of the added coursework were presented to the Executive Director of Human Resources "from the accredited institution."
The same article adds that if the district finds it necessary to make salary reductions, advancement to a higher preparation level does not take effect. Ask for your principal's approval in writing before you enroll; our guide to pre-approval forms lists what to include.
When are requests due, and when does the new column take effect?
The agreement says "Salary advancements are processed twice a year":
- Winter: column shift requests "by January 31," pay effective February 1, paid on the February 28 paycheck.
- Fall: requests by "September 30," pay effective October 1, paid on the October 31 paycheck.
A summer course whose transcript arrives in August can be filed for the September 30 window. A course finished in December needs its official transcript in hand before January 31. Our page on transcript deadlines explains why the filing date usually controls pay.
Do the same hours count toward Wyoming license renewal?
Often, yes. Wyoming's Rules Chapter 8 requires five semester hours of university or college credit and/or 75 contact hours to renew the Educator License, which is "Valid for up to five years," with renewal credits earned within the license's validity dates. A college course that fits your teaching assignment can serve both purposes. The details are in the Wyoming renewal section of our Wyoming guide.
Where can LCSD1 teachers earn graduate-level units?
Every district, LCSD1 included, decides for itself whether a course counts for the purpose a teacher needs it for: a column move, a stipend, license renewal or an added endorsement. No provider, university or website can make that decision, so the rules above come first, and written approval from LCSD1's human resources office is the safest record to have before you pay.
Before you enroll: The 2026-2027 LCSD1 and CTEA agreement gives credit only "for hours or degrees earned in a field applicable to their current teaching assignment," and requires that "The contemplated course work was approved by the employee's principal or immediate supervisor." Give written notice of the planned change and get the course approved before you enroll.
| Question | What LCSD1 says | What to look for on the provider's site |
|---|---|---|
| Type of unit | LCSD1: Accredited, in a field applicable to your assignment; earned after the degree | Semester or quarter units, graduate-level or not, and the university named on the transcript and its accreditor |
| Grade | See units that count | Letter grade or pass/fail on the transcript |
| Deadline | LCSD1: January 31 or September 30; official transcripts to HR | Published grading and transcript-posting time, and any rush option |
| Approval | LCSD1: Yes, principal or supervisor; plus written notice | Course descriptions or syllabi you can attach to an approval form |
| Price | Not set by the district | All-in price per credit, including any university or first-course fee (compare) |
Graduate-level credit providers, listed with the same facts
With those rules in hand, compare providers on the same points. Providers listed on this site, each with the same facts:
- Teacher Friendly: self-paced online, units through University of the Pacific; $336 first course for 3 credits (price notes)
- Credits for Educators: self-paced online, units through University of the Pacific; $297 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Fresno Pacific University CE: self-paced, up to 1 year, units through Fresno Pacific University; ≈$475 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Graduate Credit Courses: self-paced, units through Cal Poly Humboldt; $570 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Model Teaching: self-paced, 1 year, units through a choice of six universities, including University of the Pacific; $359 for 3 credits (price notes)
- PD Courses (University of La Verne): online or pdf, semester-based, units through University of La Verne; $420 for 3 credits (price notes)
The provider directory lists 28 providers and programs by what teachers need them for, and Compare sets published prices for 16 of them side by side, with transcripts from 11 universities. A listing on this site does not mean LCSD1 has approved a provider or course; only the district can do that. TeacherPayGuide has commercial relationships with some providers it lists; how listings work.
LCSD1 salary questions teachers ask
Do I need my principal's approval before I take a course?
Yes. The 2026-2027 agreement lists principal or immediate supervisor approval of the contemplated coursework, and written notice of the anticipated change, among the criteria for every salary placement.
When are LCSD1 column shift requests due?
By January 31, with pay effective February 1, or by September 30, with pay effective October 1.
Do hours outside my teaching field count?
The agreement gives credit "for hours or degrees earned in a field applicable to their current teaching assignment." Ask Human Resources before you enroll in a course outside that field.
Can hours I used for an earlier column count again?
No. The agreement says "Credit hours used for previous salary placement shall not be counted."
Where can LCSD1 teachers take graduate-level courses for salary credit or renewal?
LCSD1 decides which courses count, under the rules on this page, so check with human resources before you enroll. Providers that teachers compare include Teacher Friendly, Credits for Educators, Fresno Pacific University CE, Graduate Credit Courses, Model Teaching and PD Courses (University of La Verne). They differ in format, transcript university, grading time and price; the provider directory and the Compare page list 16 providers with the same facts for each.
Sources
- Negotiated agreement between Laramie County School District #1 and the Cheyenne Teachers Education Association, 2026-2027, board meeting attachment. Checked
- Board of Trustees regular meeting, Laramie County School District #1. Checked
- Rules Chapter 8, Renewal Requirements for Educator Licenses and Permits, Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board. Checked
- Renewing a license or permit, Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board. Checked
Reviewed November 12, 2026 by TeacherPayGuide editors.Report an error