Trump paused funding for after-school programs. States are suing.
Unable to adequately budget for the upcoming year, school districts have been scrambling for two weeks. Now, Democratic attorneys general are stepping in.
WASHINGTON – A coalition of states is suing the Trump administration to restore billions of dollars in federal education funding, including money for after-school and summer learning programs.
The group of Democratic attorneys general, representing 24 states and the District of Columbia, filed the lawsuit on July 14 in a federal court in Rhode Island.
In the complaint, the top lawyers in several blue states say the funding pause is unconstitutional and ask the court to restore the money in their states immediately.
Since the U.S. Department of Education's decision two weeks ago to withhold the funds – which have been available to schools annually without interruption for decades – many districts nationwide have been mired in financial uncertainty.
In some places, summer learning programs have been forced to shut down, said Rob Bonta, California's attorney general, during a press conference. In other locations, school leaders have announced hiring freezes. Budgets and staffing plans for the upcoming year at countless schools "hang in the balance," he said.
"President Trump and Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon have dealt a debilitating blow to our schools, throwing them into chaos just weeks ahead of the first day of school for many districts," Bonta said.
The Education Department did not immediately respond to questions about the lawsuit.
The controversy began on June 30, when Brandy Brown, an Education Department official, sent a notice to congressional staffers warning that states wouldn't be getting some of their education funding on time this year.
In the notice, viewed by Paste BN, Brown cited the change in presidential administrations as part of the reason for the delay.
"The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities," Brown wrote.
Which school programs are affected?
There are six streams of federal education funding directly impacted by the Trump administration's pause.
Those programs include:
- the Migrant Education Program, which provides money for schools to support students whose parents are seasonal workers (the funding is not specifically intended for immigrants);
- Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants, which fund teacher training;
- English Language Acquisition State Grants, which ensure that students who aren't fluent in English can learn it at school;
- the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program, which helps schools promote technology and improve mental health;
- the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, after-school and summer learning programs that mostly serve students in low-performing schools; and
- Adult Education and Family Literacy Act Grants, which help adults nationwide learn to read.
If a judge agrees to stall the Trump administration's funding review, the federal government would be compelled to release roughly $3.6 billion for schools in 24 states and the District of Columbia.
The broader funding pause, which includes red states that are not involved in the new lawsuit, has halted more than $6 billion for school programs.
Republican attorneys general, Bonta said, are "going to have to step up now and fight for the funding they feel they deserve, if they feel they deserve it, or do some explaining to the children and students in their states."
Peter Neronha, Rhode Island's attorney general, said he anticipates the judge will rule on a preliminary injunction in the coming days or weeks.
"The school year is upon us," he said.
Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for Paste BN. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.