On Monday, the Trump administration notified states that it was withholding over $6 billion in previously approved federal education grants to schools. The announcement came a day before the July 1 deadline when those funds have traditionally been dispersed, and will likely impact school districts' plans for the fall.
In messages sent to state education officials, the U.S. Education Department said, "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 year."
The message – which was shared with NPR by multiple sources, including The School Superintendents Association (AASA) – said grant money would not go out "prior to completing that review."
"This is definitely unprecedented to my knowledge," said Tara Thomas, government affairs manager at AASA.
"Districts really need to be able to rely on stable funding so that they're able to responsibly plan and budget, and actions like this are incredibly disruptive to school districts across the country."
The Education Department has not yet replied to NPR's request for comment. In its message to state officials, the department also said it "remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President's priorities and the Department's statutory responsibilities."
The grants under review fund a wide range of programs for schools, including migrant education, before- and after- school programs and services for English language learners.
The largest pot of grant money under review consists of roughly $2.2 billion for professional development for educators. Thomas says districts often use these funds to help pay for continued teacher training: "At the end of the day, it's really just funding that makes teachers better at their jobs."
It's not the first time the Trump administration has singled-out these programs: The administration's proposed FY 2026 budget eliminated all five grants now under review.
Two of the most important federal funding streams to public schools – Title I, which provides money to help districts that serve lower-income communities, and IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), which provides money to help districts serve students with disabilities – have so far not been disrupted.
The 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, which supports academic enrichment before- and after-school, is among the programs impacted by this week's announcement.
In one low-income Maine district, about 90 miles north of Portland, that grant helps fund a host of activities for students that educators say they couldn't otherwise afford, including outdoor adventure, sewing, chess, robotics, theater and cooking.
Dawn Fickett, who heads that program in school district MSAD 54, told NPR in the spring that the loss of these activities would be a blow for students in her area. She said this programming has led to impressive academic and other gains.
"Having a place for our youth to go to be engaged, sparking joy and learning, is a great way to keep kiddos off our streets and out of trouble," she said.
Reporting contributed by: Jonaki Mehta
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