The Education Department has announced the release of $1.3 billion in previously withheld grant money designated for after-school programs, following a letter from 10 Republican senators urging the Trump administration to expedite the disbursement of frozen education funds.
Previously, on July 1, President Donald Trump’s administration had withheld over $6 billion in federal grants aimed at after-school and summer programs, as well as adult literacy and English language instruction. This decision was part of a review intended to ensure that spending aligned with the administration’s priorities.
In a letter to the Office of Management and Budget sent on Wednesday, the senators argued that the withheld funds supported programs with longstanding bipartisan backing, essential to local communities. Importantly, these funds had already been appropriated by Congress and signed into law by President Trump.
Despite the administration’s concerns about taxpayer money potentially funding what they described as “radical left-wing programs,” the senators contested that the specific programs in question were not aligned with those concerns.
A senior official announced on Friday that the review of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which provide after-school and summer programming, has concluded. Although the identity of the official was not disclosed, it was confirmed that the funding would now be released to the states, while remaining withheld grants—totaling approximately $5 billion—continue to be reviewed for bias by the Office of Management and Budget.
The withholding of these funds has significantly impacted school districts and various nonprofit organizations, including the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club of America, which expressed that without the grants, they would be compelled to close or reduce educational offerings this fall.
The fund being released will support free programming offered before and after school, along with activities during the summer. These initiatives provide necessary child care, allowing low-income parents to work, and offer essential educational support in reading and math, as well as enrichment in science and the arts for students in rural areas with limited options.
Though the funds are now available, the delay of two weeks had already caused considerable disruption. As a result, several programs have had to adjust plans, some even deciding to close prematurely, and others facing delays in hiring and contracting processes for the upcoming school year.
Jodi Grant, executive director of the Afterschool Alliance, expressed relief at the release of the funds but criticized the administration’s “inexplicable delay” which led to chaos and harm for multiple after-school programs that had to cancel their fall openings.
A legal challenge to the funding freeze has also emerged, as more than 20 states, including California, have filed a lawsuit arguing that the hold on $6 billion in funding, which includes crucial allocations for English language instruction, teacher development, and adult literacy, is unconstitutional. They stressed that withholding these grants could deprive low-income families of access to critical after-school care.
The executive director of AASA, an association of school superintendents, David Schuler, commended the release of the after-school funding. However, he also made it clear that the remaining education funds should not be held up any longer. In a statement, he called for the immediate release of these appropriated funds, emphasizing that public schools across America were counting on them.
Leading the letter from Republican senators was Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, chair of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee overseeing education spending. In their correspondence, they asserted that withholding this funding runs counter to President Trump’s goal of returning education control to the states. They pointed out that these funds directly benefit local school districts, empowering local leaders to allocate the funds as necessary.
Democratic Senator Patty Murray, D-Washington, urged the White House to release the remaining funding without delay. She expressed concern about schools nationwide grappling with budget cuts, suggesting that many teachers may face layoffs due to the ongoing funding freeze.
Murray’s statement highlighted the urgency of the situation, insisting that “Every penny of this funding must flow immediately.”
The developments indicate a growing clamor for timely financial support as educational institutions move forward amid uncertainty.
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