The U.S. Department of Education persisted in giving Wyoming more than $17 million this past fall for a program intended to avert teacher layoffs even after Gov. Dave Freudenthal told the federal agency the energy-rich state didn’t need the money.
Rebuffed by the governor, the department pledged the money directly to the state education department, which recently approved applications from school districts to use the funds to pay for teacher bonuses and other benefits.
