Educators react to Trump administration unfreezing remaining federal funds

WASHINGTON — According to media reports, the Trump administration will release the remaining $5.5 billion in delayed federal K-12 funding. Students, educators and school leaders across the country have been in limbo for nearly a month and warned that the unlawful freeze threatened summer and afterschool programs, school staffing, and academic supports for the upcoming school year. On June 30, the Department of Education announced to state education associations in a three-sentence email that it would withhold almost $6.9 billion in funding. However, on July 18, after facing mounting bipartisan pressure, the administration said it would release $1.3 billion in grants for summer and after-school programs if states provided new assurances as to how the funds would be spent.

The following statement can be attributed to NEA President Becky Pringle: 

“Playing games with students’ futures has real-world consequences. School districts in every state have been scrambling to figure out how they will continue to meet student needs without this vital federal funding, and many students in parts of the country have already headed back to school. These reckless funding delays have undermined planning, staffing, and support services at a time when schools should be focused on preparing students for success. 

“Sadly, this is part of a broader pattern by this administration of undermining public education—starving it of resources, sowing distrust, and pushing privatization at the expense of the nation’s most vulnerable students. And they are doing this at the same time Congress has passed a budget bill that will devastate our students, schools, and communities by slashing funds meant for public education, health care, and keeping students from their school meals—all to finance massive tax breaks for billionaires. The members of the National Education Association will continue to advocate for stable, transparent, and timely support for every public school and every child they serve. We will stand up, speak out, and take action to ensure every classroom is a place of dignity, opportunity, and respect.” 

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.