SEATTLE—Attorney General Nick Brown announced that his office has joined 24-state lawsuit against the United States Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget for withholding $7 billion in non-competitive formula grants used for funding for various after-school, summer and English learner programs. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction estimates that nearly $137 million of these frozen funds are designated for K-12 schools this academic year in Washington state.
“Student success is a bipartisan priority. It’s unacceptable for the federal government to disrupt local schools as they prepare for the new academic year,” Brown said. “We’re fighting to secure every dollar our students are entitled to.”
These grants fund critical K-12 programs, including support for English learners, children of migratory workers, teacher and principal professional development, enhanced classroom instruction, improved school conditions, technology integration, and community learning centers offering academic and extracurricular activities.
The federal government was set to distribute these grants on July 1 but issued a vague notice the day prior, citing a “review” due to the change in administrations. This action violates congressional mandates and the Education Department’s regulations.
“I commend the AG’s office for joining this case,” said State Superintendent Chris Reykdal. “Diverting funds approved by Congress and signed by President Trump to create a reserve for tax cuts for billionaires is both immoral and illegal. We urge federal officials to release all education funds for the 50 states and territories.”
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), on July 10, joined 30 other senate colleagues in demanding the Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought and Education Secretary Linda McMahon immediately release the nearly $7 billion in formula grant funds the Trump administration is withholding from schools.
“These funds were made available by the bipartisan Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, signed into law on March 15, 2025,” their demand letter reads. “Yet, instead of supporting the tens of millions of students and adult learners intended to benefit from these investments, the administration has chosen to continue an unprecedented and opaque ‘programmatic review’ of these formula grant funds past the July 1, 2025, date these funds became available for allotment to states.”
President Trump is right now blocking billions in funding Congress approved to help students and families.
It’s sending K-12 schools scrambling—teachers will be laid off and after-school programs nationwide will shutter. This money needs to get out the door NOW. https://t.co/JgRXrijCZv— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) July 6, 2025
During a Senate hearing in June, Vought stated that the White House is considering employing “pocket rescissions,” a strategy to allow spending to expire before agencies can allocate it.
“I would just say that we believe that we have, under the law, numerous options with regard to how to achieve savings, including rescissions that are timed at the end of the fiscal year,” Vought said.
The Trump Administration has confirmed it is blocking funding for the following programs—all of which are programs the Trump administration has requested to eliminate in its budget request:
- Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II-A), which support professional development and other activities to improve the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, including reducing class size.
- 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV-B), which support high-quality before and after-school programs focused on providing academic enrichment opportunities for students.
- Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV-A), which provide flexible funding for school districts for a wide range of activities including supporting STEM education, accelerated learning courses, college and career counseling, school-based mental health services, and improving school technology, among many others.
- English Language Acquisition (Title III-A), which supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English.
- Migrant Education (Title I-C), which supports the educational needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
- Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants (including Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education State Grants), which support adult education and literacy programs to provide the basic skills to help prepare adults and out-of-school youth for success in the workforce.
The funding freeze also impacts adult education programs funded by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, affecting learners pursuing English proficiency or high school diplomas at community colleges, public schools, libraries, and correctional facilities. Washington’s State Board for Community and Technical Colleges estimates over $13 million in withheld funds for these programs.
“This last-minute decision to freeze Basic Grant and Integrated English Literacy and Civics Education funds affects tens of thousands of Washington students working on high school diplomas, GEDs, English, math, digital literacy, and job training,” said Chris Bailey, interim executive director of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. “Adult education is vital for workers to gain skills for good jobs and for employers to hire skilled workers.”
The lawsuit, led by California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, includes attorneys general from Arizona, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, and Wisconsin, along with the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
Author: Mario Lotmore
