Wyoming Schools Protest Funding Cuts

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A coalition of school districts and others say budget cuts enacted during this year's legislative session are not fair and are resulting in school closings and teacher layoffs.

Superintendents of 11 districts and statewide organizations representing teachers, school boards and school administrators sent a letter Wednesday to lawmakers protesting the cuts.

The letter contends that the cuts imposed by the Legislature are too severe, especially for small districts.

Faced with steep declines in mineral revenues, the Legislature cut money from an account that helps districts cover rising prices on things such as textbooks, materials, utilities and wages for teachers and other personnel.

But the districts note they're facing additional, automatic cuts in separate state aid that's based on enrollment, which is falling in some schools because of the economic downturn.