The U.S. Department of Education is withholding more than $6 billion in funding for the nation’s schools.
The money accounts for nearly 12% of funding for K-12 schools in Connecticut, according to CT’s Education Association.
The Education Department said the money, which was appropriated by Congress, is frozen while it reviews grants to ensure they align with President Trump’s priorities. It hasn’t released a timeline for the review.
“The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities,” Education Department officials wrote in a notice obtained by the Associated Press.
The money is used for student and teacher support, academic enrichment, English learners, and summer and after-school programs.
“Without this funding, K-12 schools everywhere, including here in Connecticut, face a devastating loss of teachers and services to students and communities,” Connecticut Education Association President Kate Dias said. “We are committed to ensuring Connecticut’s education system does not become another casualty of an administration for whom education is a top target instead of a top priority.”
The Boys and Girls Club of America also depends on the money for summer programs for low-income kids. President Jim Clark said the program could end mid-season if they don’t get the money back.
In the notice obtained by the AP, the Education Department warned schools that decisions about grants for the upcoming school year had not yet been made.
WSHU reached out to the Education Department for comment on this story and was referred to the Office of Management and Budget.
"This is an ongoing programmatic review of education funding," an OMB spokesperson told WSHU. "Initial findings show that many of these grant programs have been grossly misused to subsidize a radical leftwing agenda. In one case, New York public schools used English Language Acquisition funds to promote illegal immigrant advocacy organizations. In another, Washington state used funds to direct illegal immigrants towards scholarships intended for American students. In yet another, School Improvement funds were used to conduct a seminar on “queer resistance in the arts.” As stated before, this is an ongoing programmatic review and no decisions have been made yet."
