Trump Administration Halts $6.8 Billion for K-12 Education Initiatives

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has suspended $6.8 billion in federal funding for K-12 schools, as reported by the Education Department. This decision, communicated to states on Monday, includes funding for key programs such as before- and after-school initiatives, migrant education, and English-language learning.

The timing of the announcement is critical. It comes just one day before July 1, the usual date for distributing these funds, impacting educators’ plans for the upcoming school year. The Education Department emphasized its commitment to aligning taxpayer resources with the President’s priorities and statutory responsibilities.

A notice detailing the funding freeze provided no specific timeline for resolution, stating that “decisions have not yet been made” regarding program awards for the academic year. Affected programs include Title I-C for migrant education, Title II-A for teacher effectiveness, Title III-A for English language acquisition, Title IV-A for STEM education, Title IV-B for out-of-school programs, and adult education grants.

States are alert to these developments. Recently, Oklahoma’s Department of Education noted the absence of federal funding for programs like migrant education and English language acquisition. This situation compounds concerns over educational funding amid proposals from Trump to eliminate such programs in his fiscal 2026 budget request, which includes $12 billion in cuts within the Education Department.

A coalition of 16 states is currently suing the administration to restore approximately $1 billion in school mental health grants that were canceled earlier this year. This lawsuit is aimed at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, and the states involved include California, Colorado, and New York, among others.

Washington state U.S. Senator Patty Murray issued a statement urging the Trump administration to release the withheld funds. “President Trump himself signed this funding into law,” she pointed out, criticizing the freeze as detrimental to schools’ ability to plan and hire effectively. Murray expressed concern that the uncertainty has caused delays in hiring and other student support initiatives.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, condemned the actions of the administration, describing them as an “illegal usurpation of the authority of Congress” that endangers the welfare of students nationwide. “K-12 public school leaders should have been able to plan effectively but instead find themselves in financial limbo,” she stated.

Carissa Moffat Miller, CEO of the Council of Chief State School Officers, stressed the necessity of timely access to funding that Congress had previously approved. “Schools need these funds to hire essential staff and educate students,” she affirmed.

Inquiries regarding the frozen funds directed to the Education Department were redirected to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which manages federal budgetary responsibilities. However, OMB did not respond promptly to requests for clarification.

The Arizona Education Association, the largest teachers’ union in the state, labeled Trump’s freeze of $118 million in federal funding for Arizona schools as illegal. AEA President Marisol Garcia criticized the move as an attempt to undermine public education, claiming it could have dire long-term effects on Arizona’s schools and the over one million students attending them.

Garcia emphasized that the frozen grants represent a substantial portion of federal funding for the state’s schools and called for widespread opposition from Arizona officials to this action. “This gross abuse of power cannot go unchallenged,” she declared.