By Esther Wickham | The Center Square
(The Center Square) — The Trump administration announced Friday it will release all previously withheld $6.8 billion in education funds back to the states.
Since July 1, education departments across the country have been urging the administration to unfreeze the funds.
Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia sued the administration, calling this freeze unconstitutional, unlawful and an arbitrary decision.
Though the administration released some of the education funds, after 25 days of relentless bipartisan pushback, the administration is now announcing it will release the remaining $5.5B.
The Office of Management and Budget “has directed the Department to release all formula funds,” according to Madi Biedermann, deputy assistant secretary for communications at the Education Department. “The agency will begin dispersing funds to states next week.”
After this announcement, education organizations are still speaking out against what they call administration’s reckless actions in delaying crucial education funding.
“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,” said National Education Association President Becky Pringle. “These reckless funding delays have undermined planning, staffing and support services at a time when schools should be focused on preparing students for success.”
“Esther is an education reporter for The Center Square. Please email her at ewickham@thecentersquare.com for tips or questions.”
