The Trump administration has halted the scheduled July 1 release of about $6.8 billion in K-12 education grants, saying it needs more time to determine whether the programs conform to the president’s policy priorities. The decision was conveyed to state agencies in a brief email that offered no timeline for when, or if, the money would be disbursed.
The freeze covers five grant streams—including after-school and summer enrichment, English-language instruction, teacher training and migrant education—that account for roughly 10 percent of federal aid to schools. California faces the largest immediate impact, with at least $811 million on hold, while Colorado has been told it could lose around $70 million. Districts in several states say the funds were already built into budgets for staff salaries and programs starting this month.
State officials and education groups argue the move violates federal budget law, which bars the executive branch from impounding money approved by Congress. California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond called the action “unlawful,” and both the American Federation of Teachers and the NAACP signalled they are preparing court challenges.
The funding dispute escalates a broader confrontation between Washington and Sacramento. In late June, the Education Department gave California ten days to ban transgender girls from girls’ sports or risk enforcement under Title IX, and the Department of Health and Human Services separately threatened to cut a teen-pregnancy prevention grant unless references to gender identity are removed. Together, the actions place billions of dollars in federal assistance to the nation’s largest school system under threat.
🚨 BREAKING: In NAACP v. US, we're fighting back against the Trump administration's unlawful attempt to dismantle the @usedgov. Yesterday, the administration announced plans to withhold $6.8 billion in critical funding for local schools, which would be detrimental to students and
