After a multi-state lawsuit that challenged Donald Trump’s decision to halt more than $6.8 billion in education funding for US schools, the Trump administration has agreed to restore the funds for various educational services, including after school and summer learning programs, teacher training, and support for English-learners.
No clear reason was provided by the administration for the withholding of the congressionally-allocated funds; however, a spokesperson from the White House Office of Management and Budget suggested that some federal education money had been “grossly misused to subsidize a radical left-wing agenda.”
The lawsuit was initiated by the attorneys general of California and 22 other states, along with the governors of two states. Following this legal action, the administration began to release the funds. On Monday, California attorney general Rob Bonta announced that the states had successfully negotiated for the full restoration of the funding.
“This reckless decision by the Trump administration to withhold vital education funding just before the start of the school year has damaged school programs across the country,” Bonta said. “However, after we filed our lawsuit, the Trump administration retreated and released the previously withheld funding. Despite this, our children deserve better than what this anti-education administration has provided, and we will continue to fight against this president’s relentless assaults on them.”
The lawsuit from the states accused the administration of holding back funds unlawfully, arguing that the US Constitution grants Congress the authority to allocate funding and that the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 prohibits the president from unilaterally withholding funds designated by Congress.
The delayed funds, which were frozen just prior to the commencement of the school year, had left many communities and school districts uncertain about their ability to maintain programs. Approximately 1.4 million children nationwide attend after-school and other affected programs, with many of these benefiting low-income families, according to the nonprofit group Afterschool Alliance. These funds also supported teacher retention programs, particularly in low-income school districts.
Since taking office, Donald Trump has sought to mold public education in the US to more closely align with his right-wing political and social beliefs. He has also repeatedly threatened to withhold federal funds from states unless they complied with his policies on issues like transgender athletes competing in sports and the inclusion of information about transgender individuals in sex education materials. The administration has also pressed states to bar immigrant students from the discounted in-state tuition usually reserved for state residents.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/25/trump-administration-education-funding
