WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has withheld nearly US$7 billion (S$8.91 billion) in federal education funding, delaying money earmarked for after-school and summer programs, English-language support, teacher training, and other student services. The funds, which were expected to be released by July 1, were abruptly frozen without a clear explanation.
In an email sent to state education agencies on June 30, the Department of Education stated the funds were under review. No timeline was provided for when, or if, the money would be disbursed. Officials said only that the administration remains committed to ensuring federal dollars align with the President’s priorities. The withheld funding is separate from the education budget cuts included in a domestic policy bill narrowly passed by the Senate on July 1.
“This is catastrophic,” said Jodi Grant, executive director of the Afterschool Alliance. She estimated that US$1.3 billion of the frozen funds are designated for after-school and summer learning programs that serve about 1.4 million low-income students nationwide.
Democratic lawmakers and educators quickly condemned the move, calling it unlawful. Critics emphasized that the money had already been approved by Congress and signed into law by President Trump in March as part of a comprehensive budget deal.
“This is lawless,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, highlighting the disruption this decision causes for school districts preparing for the new academic year.
The administration has been pushing to reduce the federal role in education, including proposals to eliminate the Department of Education altogether. Although Congress would have to approve such a measure, the White House has taken steps to downsize both staffing and funding within the department.
Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, indicated during a recent Senate hearing that the administration is exploring a rescission process. This would involve formally asking Congress to cancel the funds. Even without congressional approval, such a request could freeze the funds long enough for them to expire unused.
“No final decision has been made,” Vought told senators.
The freeze has left school districts across the country scrambling. In Umatilla, Oregon, Superintendent Heidi Sipe warned parents that their federally funded after-school program may not continue. With no local YMCA or other alternatives, many families have few backup options.
In Omaha, Nebraska, Nicole Everingham, who oversees after-school funding for 42 public schools, said uncertainty over funding may force the district to reduce programming and staffing, limiting access for students and creating problems for working parents. “It completely puts us in flux,” said Everingham, who works with Collective for Youth, a nonprofit partner in the district.
Beyond after-school care, federal grants also support programs for non-English-speaking students. These include teacher training and translation services, which many schools may have to scale back. In Oxnard, California, Superintendent Ana DeGenna warned that families who do not speak English could be cut off from critical school services without these funds.
Several of the affected programs have decades-long histories. The 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative, established in 1994, and expanded under the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, has long received bipartisan support. Newer programs, such as the Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants, fund services ranging from mental health to technology in schools.
Despite bipartisan origins, criticism of the freeze has mostly come from Democratic lawmakers. Senator Patty Murray, vice-chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called the delay deeply harmful. “Every day that this funding is held up is a day that school districts are forced to worry about whether they’ll have to cut back on after-school programs or lay off teachers instead of focusing on student success,” she said.