Short answer
How do Natrona County teachers move to a higher class on the salary schedule?
Natrona counts graduate hours "from a graduate degree granting institution that is accredited by either the US Department of Education (USDE) or Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or approved college or university." The teacher submits a class change request to the Superintendent or designee, and changes are made twice a year, effective the first contract day of the fall semester or the first student contact day of the spring semester.
Source: Certified Professional Employment Document (CPED) 2026-2027, Natrona County School District #1, Compensation and Benefits, B. Salary Upgrades. Checked .
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How is the Natrona County teacher salary schedule organized?
The 2026-2027 certified salary schedule has ten education columns, BA, BA+15, BA+30, BA+45, MA, MA+15, MA+30, MA+45, MA+60 and DR, plus a separate speech-language pathologist column. It notes that "Certified professionals are a 185 day contract."
The columns have different lengths, which matters as much as the step-one pay:
- BA and BA+15 run to step 10.
- BA+30 runs to step 12, and BA+45 to step 13.
- MA runs to step 14, and MA+15 to step 15.
- MA+30 runs to step 17, and MA+45 to step 18.
- MA+60 runs to step 24; DR and the speech-language pathologist column run to step 25.
A teacher who stays in a short column stops receiving step increases once its last step is reached, so added hours also lengthen the schedule. The dollar figures are on the district's schedule; we do not reproduce them. Our article on how to read a salary schedule explains capped columns.
Which hours count toward a Natrona class change?
The CPED sets the rules under Salary Upgrades:
- Graduate hours. "All hours credited toward a class change for pay purpose must be graduate hours and be from a graduate degree granting institution" accredited by USDE or CHEA "or approved college or university."
- Undergraduate exceptions. A teacher who needs an undergraduate or industry or occupational course must justify it in writing to the Superintendent or designee, who decides "whether credit will or will not be granted and the equivalency of the credit." The CPED adds: "Courses must meet the approval of the Superintendent or designee."
- After the master's. "For salary upgrades above a Master's, credits will be counted after a Master's Degree is granted."
- Degree moves. Moving from a bachelor's to a master's, or a master's to a doctorate, needs a transcript that shows the completed degree.
- Evaluations. No experience or education step is granted to a teacher who receives an unsatisfactory evaluation and is on a performance improvement plan.
The district's compensation and benefits page also lists "education incentives for continuing education and professional development." Our article on graduate-level credit vs graduate credit covers how to read a transcript before you file it.
Does Natrona require approval before you take a course?
For graduate hours, the CPED does not set a separate pre-approval step: "It is the certified professionals' responsibility to submit a request to the Superintendent or designee requesting a class change when earned," and upgrades take effect when the conditions are met "and approved by the Superintendent or designee." Undergraduate and industry or occupational courses need a written justification. Because the Superintendent or designee approves each upgrade, ask in writing before you enroll; our will my district accept it checklist lists the questions.
When are requests and transcripts due, and when does the new class start?
The CPED says "Salary schedule class changes shall be made twice a year":
- Effective dates. The first contract day of the fall semester, or the first student contact day of the spring semester.
- Request deadline. The fifth student contact day. The spring clause says "the fifth student contact day"; the fall clause reads "not later than the fifth student contact day of the spring semester," so ask Human Resources which date applies to a fall request.
- Completion date. "Only coursework completed by the first contract day of the first semester or first student contact day of the second semester, will be considered."
- Transcripts. Considered "based on the end date of the university's semester," and due within the thirtieth contract day of the fall semester or the thirtieth student contact day of the spring semester.
- Degrees. The conferral date must fall on or before the start date; if it falls within 10 days after, the district offers a prorated upgrade dated from conferral.
Upgrades are retroactive to the start of the semester when the conditions are met by the deadline. A summer course finished before the first contract day can count for fall. Our page on transcript deadlines explains how these windows work.
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. The details are in the Wyoming renewal section of our Wyoming guide.
Where can Natrona teachers earn graduate-level units?
Every district, Natrona 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 Natrona's human resources office is the safest record to have before you pay.
Before you enroll: Natrona's 2026-2027 work agreement says "All hours credited toward a class change for pay purpose must be graduate hours and be from a graduate degree granting institution that is accredited by either the US Department of Education (USDE) or Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or approved college or university," and that "Courses must meet the approval of the Superintendent or designee." Check that the transcript will come from such a university and ask the Superintendent's designee in writing whether a course will count before you enroll.
| Question | What Natrona says | What to look for on the provider's site |
|---|---|---|
| Type of unit | Natrona: Graduate hours, USDE or CHEA accredited; undergraduate by written exception | 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 | Natrona: Fifth student contact day; transcripts within the 30th day | Published grading and transcript-posting time, and any rush option |
| Approval | Natrona: No separate step published; Superintendent or designee approves each upgrade | 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)
- CE Credits Online: self-paced, 180 days, units through Valley City State, Augustana, Adams State or Cal Poly Humboldt; from $449 for 3 credits (price notes)
- Connected Classroom Courses: self-paced, letter grade, units through CSU Pueblo; $389 + university fee for 3 credits (price notes)
- Credits for Teachers: self-paced, 6 months, units through Valley City State, Adams State, UMass Global or CSU Pueblo; from $349 for 3 credits (price notes)
- VESi: self-paced online, 2- or 3-unit courses on special-needs instruction, units through University of the Pacific; $444 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 Natrona has approved a provider or course; only the district can do that. TeacherPayGuide has commercial relationships with some providers it lists; how listings work.
Natrona County salary questions teachers ask
Do undergraduate courses count toward a Natrona class change?
Only by exception. The CPED requires graduate hours; a teacher who needs an undergraduate or industry course justifies it in writing to the Superintendent or designee, who decides whether and how much credit is granted.
When does a Natrona class change take effect?
On the first contract day of the fall semester or the first student contact day of the spring semester, retroactive to the start of that semester if the conditions are met by the deadline.
Do hours earned before my master's count toward MA+15?
No. "For salary upgrades above a Master's, credits will be counted after a Master's Degree is granted."
How many columns does the Natrona schedule have?
Ten education columns, BA through DR including MA+60, plus a speech-language pathologist column.
Where can Natrona teachers take graduate-level courses for salary credit or renewal?
Natrona 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, CE Credits Online, Connected Classroom Courses, Credits for Teachers and VESi. 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
- Certified Professional Employment Document (CPED) 2026-2027, work agreement between the Natrona County Education Association and Natrona County School District #1. Checked
- Certified salary schedule 2026-2027, Natrona County School District #1. Checked
- Employee resources, Natrona County School District #1. Checked
- Compensation and benefits, Natrona County School District #1. Checked
- Rules Chapter 8, Renewal Requirements for Educator Licenses and Permits, Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board. Checked
Reviewed November 12, 2026 by TeacherPayGuide editors.Report an error