Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include a comment from Illinois superintendent of education.
The Trump administration Tuesday withheld $6.8 billion in federal funding from state education departments across the U.S.
The freeze is affecting 10% of federal money for K-12 education. Programs like after-school initiatives, English language and professional development for teachers are usually funded by the federal government. For California, that would be around $811 million withheld from the state.
The California Department of Education declared the freeze an illegal impound.
Each year on July 1, states receive their federal education funds Congress has allocated for the upcoming school year. Many school districts have already budgeted for these funds to pay for staff salaries, education material, technology and other budgeted items.
An email from the U.S. Department of Education, sent to various departments of education across the country, declared Monday that “the Department will not be issuing Grant Award Notifications obligating funds for these programs on July 1 prior to completing that review.”
The Center Square obtained a copy of the email, which listed the affected programs as: Title I-C for migrant education, Title II-A for professional development, Title III-A for English-learner services, Title IV-A for academic enrichment, and Title IV-B for before- and after-school programs.
The email concluded: “The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities.”
The Center Square requested comment from the Office of Management and Budget at the White House, but has not received a response.
In response to the funding freeze, California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond called the president’s actions unlawful and said they’re harming children within educational institutions.
“Trump is illegally impounding billions of dollars appropriated by Congress to serve students this fiscal year. We’re told by Trump’s Department of Education that they are withholding critical school funding that isn’t in ‘accordance with the President’s priorities,’” Thurmond wrote on X. “The Administration is punishing children when states refuse to cater to Trump’s political ideology. This illegal action will harm students starting now; it cannot stand!”
In a press conference Tuesday afternoon, California teachers and school officials assured the community that they will do everything in their power to combat this funding freeze.
“We won’t stand for it. It will not happen on our watch,” Thurmond said. “The dollars that the President and his administration have threatened to take back have already been approved by Congress. This is an illegal action.”
“President Trump, stop this unlawful seizure of school funds!” Max Arias, the executive director of Service Employees International Union Local 99, exclaimed during the press conference. “Stop ripping away school lunches, bus transportation, after-school programs, and other vital services from our students. Pay the state of California what we are owed.”
The funding freeze hurts all students across America, California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said.
“It wouldn’t be a day ending in ‘y’ without the Trump administration trying to defund California,” Elana Ross, Newsom’s deputy communications director, told The Center Square. “Threatening schools across the country does nothing but sow chaos and confusion that harms all students.”
Elsewhere, Illinois Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders criticized the freeze of federal funds.
“The delay by the Trump administration in issuing federal education funding allocations is deeply disruptive, irresponsible and damaging to Illinois’ 1.9 million public school students,” Sanders told The Center Square. “This inaction forces local districts to deal with unnecessary uncertainty and places an undue burden on teachers, administrators, and families alike at the exact moment when they should be focused on preparing for the next school year.”
The Center Square reached out to state departments of education in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and New York but has not received a response.
