The Trump administration will disburse billions in education funding it has withheld from public school districts for weeks.
“The White House will release $5.5 billion in frozen education funds, administration officials announced on Friday, bringing an end to a chaotic month for school districts that had counted on the money with just weeks to go before the start of the school year,” The New York Times reported July 25.
President Donald Trump was under growing pressure from Senate Republicans who signed a letter urging the Office of Management and Budget to make the budgeted money available for adult education, teacher development and language, music and art education programs.
“The decision to withhold this funding is contrary to President Trump’s goal of returning K-12 education to the states,” Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, John Boozman of Arkansas, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and seven other senators said in the letter.
“This funding goes directly to states and local school districts, where local leaders decide how this funding is spent, because as we know, local communities know how to best serve students and families. Withholding this funding denies states and communities the opportunity to pursue localized initiatives to support students and their families.”
ABC News said it obtained copies of a letter the U.S. Department of Education sent to states informing them the awaited funds would be released beginning July 28. “So far, state education agencies in Nebraska, Mississippi, Rhode Island and Utah have confirmed to ABC News that they have received notifications from the U.S. Department of Education that the funds will be released.”
Democracy Forward noted the development followed a lawsuit it and other legal groups filed July 21 against the administration for its “unlawful freeze” of education funding.
Anchorage School District v. Department of Education seeks to compel the Department of Education and OMB to release the dollars that also would support low-income and immigrant students. The action was filed on behalf of a coalition of nonprofit groups, parents, school districts and teachers’ unions.
Skye Perryman
“This news following our legal challenge is a direct result of collective action by educators, families and advocates across the country,” said Skye Perryman, president of Democracy Forward. “These funds are critical to keeping teachers in classrooms, supporting students in vulnerable conditions, and ensuring schools can offer the programs and services that every child deserves.”
Congress directed the money to be distributed by July 1. By failing to do so, President Trump placed schools, children, families and communities in jeopardy of losing vital learning opportunities, she said. “While this development shows that legal and public pressure can make a difference, school districts, parents and educators should not have to take the administration to court to secure funds for their students.”
Betsy Pringle, president of the National Education Association, admonished the administration for toying with taxpayer dollars.
“Playing games with students’ futures has real-world consequences. School districts in every state have been scrambling to figure out how they will continue to meet student needs without this vital federal funding, and many students in parts of the country have already headed back to school,” she said. “These reckless funding delays have undermined planning, staffing and support services at a time when schools should be focused on preparing students for success.”