(The Center Square) – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a multi-state lawsuit suing the U.S. Department of Education for freezing funding to various education programs.
While $6.8 billion was paused nationwide, Michigan is set to lose about $171 million for six different programs.
“These education grants are designed to help Michigan students thrive,” Nessel said. “By freezing them, the Trump White House is not just breaking the law but jeopardizing our kids’ future. Just as I have before, I will stand with my colleagues to protect the resources our students deserve.”
Michigan is joined by a coalition of 24 states and the District of Columbia. The states are calling the freeze unconstitutional, unlawful and an arbitrary decision, as previously reported by The Center Square.
Normally, states receive their federal education funds July 1 which Congress has allocated for the upcoming school year.
An email from the U.S. Department of Education, sent to various departments of education across the country, stated the department would not be “issuing obligating funds” for six formula funding programs on July 1.
In Michigan, the following programs have been affected:
• Title I-C – Education of Migratory Children, which supports the educational needs of students whose families frequently move for seasonal agricultural or fishing work.
• Title II-A – Supporting Effective Instruction, which provides supplemental funding to help local education agencies (LEAs) implement professional development leadership initiatives that strengthen teaching and improve student academic achievement.
• Title III-A – English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement, which supports English learners and enhances multilingual education services.
• Title IV-A – Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants, which aims to improve student achievement by increasing the capacity of states, LEAs, schools, and local communities to offer students a well-rounded education, improve school conditions for learning, and improve the use of technology to boost academic achievement and digital literacy.
• Title IV-B – 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which offers out-of-school academic support, enrichment, youth development, and family engagement for K-12 students.
• Adult Basic Literacy; Integrated English Literacy; and Civics Education Grants, which ensure adult education providers can support learners in developing basic reading, writing, mathematics, and English language skills. Programs also help adults receive high school completion or equivalency and gain the workforce skills needed for employment.
The states have requested a preliminary injunction, which would temporarily restore funding while the lawsuit makes its way through the courts.
Michigan Departments of Education (MDE), Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP), and Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) are in charge of administering the grants for Michigan. They have submitted written declarations describing how the withholding of these funds would affect the state.
“The withholding of federal title funding negatively and disproportionately affects students who are economically disadvantaged, are migrants or English learners, or need extra help with academics before-school, after-school, or during the summer,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael F. Rice. “Our schools and school districts rightfully believed that funds appropriated by Congress and signed into law by President Trump would be forthcoming. Now schools are left to scramble to try to figure out how to provide programs that are vitally important to children. This is an outrage that needs to be stopped in court.”
