(The Center Square) – Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods said he appreciated the release of federal funding for after-school and summer learning programs, but he called on the Trump administration to release all of the dollars on hold.
The U.S. Department of Education has been withholding billions in funding from state school districts. The Office of Management and Budget said it was part of an “ongoing programmatic review of education funding.”
Georgia’s share of the funding is $201 million, the Georgia Department of Education said.
U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, R-Ga., said the money being released is part of the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers. She and other Democrats sent the U.S. Department of Education a letter last week urging them to release the funds.
“We sent a clear message: following through with the funds we approved in Congress is not optional, it is the law,” McBath said Friday. “Today’s decision is a direct result of our collective advocacy and a triumph for children who rely on these programs to learn, grow, and succeed.”
Woods said he is urging Congress to release the remaining funds.
“As I shared earlier this summer, I believe strongly in fiscal responsibility, which means both evaluating spending and releasing funds already approved by Congress and signed into law by President Trump,” Woods said. “Georgia has consistently demonstrated that we’re good stewards of federal education dollars, directing them where they’re most needed to support student learning. With a new school year about to begin, it’s critical that all approved funds are made available to ensure students start strong and educators have the support they need.”
The Office of Management and Budget said when asked previously about the review: “Initial findings show that many of these grant programs have been grossly misused to subsidize a radical left-wing agenda. In one case, NY 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.”
