Trump administration freezes $6 billion in education funds ahead of new school year

The administration of President Donald Trump has halted more than $6 billion in federal funding for a wide range of education programs, including after-school initiatives, teacher training, student support services, and English language programs, just weeks before the start of the new academic year. The move was revealed in a memo from the Department of Education (DOE) obtained by ABC News.

In a letter sent on June 30 to members of Congress by the DOE’s Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs, the department stated that certain grant recipients would soon receive notifications informing them that funding for the upcoming school year remains under review, with no final decisions yet made.

“The department will not be issuing grant award notifications obligating funds for these programs on July 1 prior to completing that review,” the letter reads. It adds that the DOE is “committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the president’s priorities and the department’s statutory responsibilities.”

While the DOE confirmed that special education funding mandated under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has been disbursed to states on time, the fate of numerous other programs hangs in the balance. Traditionally, school budgets are finalised in May or June, with funds allocated by July 1. The sudden uncertainty has left state education officials scrambling for answers just as many schools prepare to welcome students back.

The administration’s move has sparked immediate backlash. State attorneys general are reportedly preparing legal action to challenge the funding freeze, according to sources familiar with the matter. Advocacy groups and parents’ organisations are also considering lawsuits, accusing the White House of undermining public education and jeopardising millions of students’ futures.

“Schools are already facing critical teacher shortages, burnout, and underfunded classrooms—and now the federal government is pulling vital resources from public schools. This is outrageous and unconscionable,” said Becky Pringle, President of the National Education Association.

The freeze comes amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to reshape the role of the Department of Education, an agenda that has faced legal obstacles in lower courts. The Supreme Court is expected to hear a related case involving the dismissal of nearly 2,000 DOE employees.

When pressed for further details, the DOE referred inquiries to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). An OMB spokesperson told ABC News that the pause is part of an “ongoing programmatic review” of federal education spending, and that no definitive decisions have been made yet.

The spokesperson further alleged that many of the paused programs have “grossly misused” government funds to advance what the administration sees as a “radical leftwing agenda.” Some programs, they claimed, promote advocacy for illegal immigration and “queer resistance” in arts education.

By Tamilla Hasanova