KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Trump administration is withholding nearly $7 billion in congressionally approved education funding, which was authorized for the current fiscal year.
Programs that rely on the money were expecting it to be distributed July 1, but an Education Department notice issued on June 30 announced the money would not be released while the programs are under review. The department did not provide a timeline and warned that “decisions have not yet been made” on grants for the upcoming school year.
The move leaves states and schools in limbo as they budget for programs this summer and the upcoming school year, introducing new uncertainty about when – or if – they will receive the money.
Nationally, $2 billion in grants are under review for teachers’ professional development and efforts to reduce class size; $1 billion for academic enrichment grants, often used for science and math education and accelerated learning; $890 million for students who are learning English; $376 million to educate the children of migrant workers; and $715 million to teach adults how to read.
If the funding freeze remains, children learning English and their parents would be especially affected. Rural districts would be hit the hardest.
Missouri schools stand to lose more than $64 million due to federal funding freeze
The Missouri Department of Education said school districts across the state stand to lose more than $64 million in federal funding.
The U.S. Department of Education (USED) informed states on Tuesday, July 1, that funding for several federal funding formula grant programs is still under review. As a result, grant award notifications and allocations have not yet been provided for the following
- Title I-C Migrant Education (FY25 – $1,066,176)
- Title II-A Teacher and School Leader Supports (FY25 – $8,563,816)
- Title III-C English Language Learners (FY25-$5,772,261)
- Title IV-A Student Support and Academic Enrichment (FY25 – $19,847,694)
- Title IV-B 21st Century Before and After School Programs (FY25 – $19,034,567)
- Adult Education (FY25 – $10,029,802)
Collectively these grant programs provide $64.3 million in targeted funding to local education agencies and select state level programs. The larger Title I-A (Improving Academic Achievement for Disadvantaged Students) and IDEA (Special Education) grants are not impacted. DESE will continue to monitor the status of these grant programs and provide updates when they become available.
Kansas City, Missouri Public Schools faces more than $4 million in federal funding cuts
Kansas City Public Schools said it stands to lose more than $4 million in critical federal funding.
The school district said more than $4.1 million in critical federal funding is now frozen:
- $628,099 for Adult Education and Literacy
- $967,621 from Title II for teacher development and retention
- $797,086 from Title III for English Language Learning and Immigrant support
- $452,270 for Afghan refugee student services
- $318,440 for broader refugee education programs
- $953,372 from Title IV for student support and academic enrichment
“These are not just numbers on a page,” the district said in a news release. “These funds support adult learners pursuing new opportunities, educators committed to professional growth and students working to overcome barriers and thrive in school.
“We are actively exploring every possible option to protect the programs our families rely on, and we invite our community to stand with us in unity, advocacy and unwavering resolve. Our students deserve nothing less.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
