Billions In Education Funding Remains Frozen, Despite Efforts Of GOP Senators
On July 1, instead of funding, U.S. schools received an unsigned email from the Department of Education stating that the government would not be distributing funds for five grant programs. On July 16, 10 Republican Senators asked the Office of Management and Budget to reconsider, but as of this week, only $1.4 billion of the $6.8 billion total has been released.
The email from the department indicated that the five programs were paused for review. Funding for the programs was approved and allocated by Congress in March, but the OMB has frozen the funds.
The letter, addressed to OMB director Russell Vought, called for the administration to end the withholding of funds, arguing in terms of the Trump administration's stated priorities.
The decision to withhold this funding is contrary to President Trump's goal of returning K-12 education to the states. 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.
However, an OMB spokesperson told Newsweek:
Initial findings show that many of these grant programs have been grossly abused to promote a radical leftwing DEI agenda, subsidize the Open Border Crisis, and in many cases, directly violate Presidential Executive Orders.
Again, the 10 senators struck a conciliatory tone:
We share your concern about taxpayer money going to fund radical left-wing programs. However, we do not believe that is happening with these funds.
One of the programs that the letter cited specifically is the funding for after- and before-school sessions. On July 18, the OMB indicated that the review of that program was completed and the funds would be released--provided the receiving states certify that they will follow the administration's interpretation of civil rights law, according to Mark Liebreman at Education Week.
On July 21, a coalition of school districts, teacher groups, and a PTA group sued the administration in an attempt to have the rest of the funds released.
With weeks left before school starts a new year, many districts are scrambling to come up with either program cuts or outside funding sources that will compensate for the withholding of federal funds. ABC News reported that Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she's worried the Trump administration's federal education actions could mean "closing schools" in her home state.
The Department of Education is referring questions of funding to the OMB, which has not specified a timeline for decisions about the rest of the funding. It appears that the letter from the senators has exhausted its effects.
The 10 GOP senators who signed the letter include Shelley Moore Capito (WV), Susan Collins (ME), John Boozman (AR), Katie Britt (AL), Deb Fischer (NE), John Hoeven, (ND), Jim Justice (WV), Mitch McConnell (KY), Lisa Murkowski (AK), and Mike Rounds (SD).
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