The Trump administration notified state education departments this week that it would be withholding over $6 billion in previously approved federal grants for K-12 schools.
The U.S. Department of Education is specially withholding funds for educational programs geared toward students learning English, migrant students, adult learners, after-school programs, and professional development for educators until it completes a review of the grants.
"Given the change in Administrations, the Department is reviewing the FY 2025 funding for the [Title I-C, II-A, III-A, IV-A, IV-B] grant program(s), and decisions have not yet been made concerning submissions and awards for this upcoming academic year," a statement from the U.S. Department of Education read. "Accordingly, the Department will not be issuing Grant Award Notifications obligating funds for these programs on July 1 prior to completing that review. The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities.”
The fund freeze takes back hundreds of millions intended for Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana schools. Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce will lose around $184 million, the Kentucky Department of Education will lose close to $87 million, and Indiana's Department of Education will be without more than $94 million.
Title I funding for lower-income students and IDEA funding for students with disabilities have not been frozen.
The move by the Trump administration has drawn criticism from education organizations, who are calling the freeze illegal and say it will cause immediate harm to local school districts.
"Schools are already grappling with severe teacher shortages, burnout, and under-resourced classrooms, and here comes the federal government ripping resources away from public schools. It is outrageous and unconscionable," National Education Association President Becky Pringle said in a statement.
The freeze is likely to have a significant impact on the region's largest school district, Cincinnati Public Schools, which runs several programs for immigrant students, English language learners, and adult learners.
Last year, the manager of English Language Acquisition and Access at CPS said there were about 6,000 students in the school district who had grown up in a home where English was not the primary language.
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