Trump administration wants to withhold $6.8 billion in federal education aid

The Trump administration is seeking to withhold a projected $6.8 billion in education funds nationwide — money appropriated by Congress to help students who are learning English and those who are from migrant families, as well as funds to boost teacher training, after-school programs and classroom technology.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the administration says no final decision had been made on the release of the funds.

Although the frozen funds make up less than 1% of California’s total education budget, they have an outsize cumulative effect. And they involve dollars that already have been accounted for in terms of staff hired and programs planned.

“There have been many rumors about the Trump Administration cutting education funding, and now that rumors have become reality, it is worse than we imagined,” said state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. “Trump is illegally impounding billions of dollars appropriated by Congress to serve students this fiscal year.”

Thurmond and L.A. schools Supt. Alberto Carvalho say they and other California officials are prepared to pursue legal action.

In a communication to states, the administration listed the affected programs by their federal designation, including Title III-A, which supports students who are learning English. Also listed was Title I-C, which aims to help the children of migrant workers overcome learning challenges. Both programs had all their funds withheld.

The programs noted in the email make up more than 10% of federal spending on K-12 schools in 33 states, according to Learning Policy Institute, a California-based nonprofit.

For some school systems, the federal hold is expected to lead to immediate disruption and layoffs.

The targets of the federal action are programs the administration wants to slash or eliminate. 

School districts — on the expectation they would receive these funds appropriated by Congress — have generally already hired those expected to carry out these programs; many are long-standing efforts.

A Trump administration official cited examples of funding allegedly being used improperly.

“This funding has been used to essentially advocate for illegal immigration,” the official said. One instance, he said, “was the production of this newcomer toolkit, which described illegal immigration as, quote, a healthy contribution to democracy.”

In another instance, the official said, a large school system in the eastern United States “took some of this grant money, ostensibly to support English-language learners, to provide funding for illegal immigrant advocacy organizations, providing legal aid and other things to illegal immigrants.”

Advocates for English learners support “evidence-based literacy instruction,” but take issue with much of the rest of the administration’s assertions, including the claim that programs to help students learning English are divisive.

“We want our students to gain proficiency in English so that they can access their education in English,” said Martha Hernandez, executive director of Californians Together, a coalition of groups that advocates for English learners. “And the majority of English learners are in English-only settings. These funds help students learn English.”