Latest news with #TitleII-A
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Trump withheld billions from schools. Now he's giving it back.
Madi Biedermann, a deputy assistant secretary for communications at the White House, told USA TODAY in an email July 25 the agency's review of the money complete and the agency will begin disbursing funds to states next week. "OMB has completed its review of Title I-C, Title II-A, Title III-A, and Title IV-A ESEA funds and Title II WIOA funds, and has directed the Department to release all formula funds," Biedermann wrote. The Trump administration announced that it released more than $1 billion of the paused funding to schools for after-school and summer learning programs on July 18. The release of the funds completes the review, she said. White House unfreezes: $1 billion for after-school, summer programs The move comes after a period of anxiety among school leaders and mounting pressure from those concerned about what the funding freeze would mean for the fall. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Nebraska, who championed the release of the paused funding, posted on X, telling his constituents about "exciting news to announce!" "All frozen education funding for the upcoming school year have been released, following my letter to the OMB!" he said. Contact Kayla Jimenez at kjimenez@ Follow her on X at @kaylajjimenez.
UPI
4 days ago
- Business
- UPI
Education Department releases $7 billion held from schools nationwide
July 25 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Education finished releasing more than $7 billion in funds for school programs nationwide after a pause at the start of July, an agency spokeswoman said Friday. Last week, $1.3 billion was released with more than $6 billion remaining. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget was reviewing the rest. "OMB has completed its review of Title I-C, Title II-A, Title III-A, and Title IV-A ESEA funds and Title II WIOA funds, and has directed the department to release all formula funds," said Madi Biedermann, deputy assistant secretary for communications for the Education Department, said in an email to media, including The Hill and ABC News. "The agency will begin dispersing funds to states next week." Earlier, the Education Department didn't disperse routine payments for schools that include money for after-school and summer activities, classes for non-English learners and adults, and teacher preparation. The funding was authorized by Congress and was due July 1, before the start of the school year. The school districts were notified of the pause one day before. U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican serving West Virginia, had pushed for the funds' release. She and nine colleagues had written a letter to OMB. "This supports critical programs so many West Virginians rely on and I made that clear to OMB Director Vought," Capito posted on X. In a news release Friday, she said: "The programs are ones that enjoy longstanding, bipartisan support like after-school and summer programs that provide learning and enrichment opportunities for school aged children, which also enables their parents to work and contribute to local economies, and programs to support adult learners working to gain employment skills, earn workforce certifications, or transition into postsecondary education." Also, 24 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia filed suit July 14 seeking the funds' release. A coalition of school districts, teachers' unions, nonprofits and parents sued Monday in Rhode Island. Originally, the White House said the pause was because money was going to the "radical left-wing agenda." Secretary of Education Linda McMahon told ABC News on Thursday: "We want to make sure that we have the right focus on what we're trying to do with our students." She said it could be released by the end of the year. An administration official told The Washington Post that unspecified "guardrails" were put on the money so they align with the policy. More than 200 superintendents went to senators' offices to seek an end to the freeze. David Schuler, executive director of the School Superintendents Association, applauded the change. "On the heels of our survey released Tuesday, detailing how disruptive withholding these funds would be for our nation's students, we thank our members and allies on the Hill," Schuler said in a statement. "We appreciate their tireless advocacy, communication and outreach to the Administration about the importance of releasing these critical funds." The Education Department's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget is $66.7 billion, which is a 15.3% reduction , or $12 billion, from the previous year. President Donald Trump wants to dismantle the Education Department, with states and other federal agencies taking over the dispersal of funds, including student loans and other programs. On July 14, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed for mass firings by lifting an injunction while litigation proceeds. In March, the agency's workforce was slashed in half, with 1,378 terminated. The high court didn't rule on abolishing the agency, which must be approved by Congress.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Unfrozen: White House releases remaining $5B for K-12 programs
This story was originally published on K-12 Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily K-12 Dive newsletter. The Trump administration will release the remaining fiscal year 2025 K-12 grant funds that it had frozen — nearly $5 billion — to states and districts, the Office of Management and Budget confirmed Friday. The funding for student academic supports, English learners, immigrant students and teacher training was supposed to be available July 1, but was not released pending a "programmatic review" by OMB, the White House's budget arm. That review was to ensure the grants align with Trump administration policies and priorities, OMB told K-12 Dive earlier this month. The office had said initial findings showed "many of these grant programs have been grossly misused to subsidize a radical leftwing agenda.' On Friday, a senior administration official told K-12 Dive in an email, "Guardrails are in place to ensure these funds will not be used in violation of Executive Orders or administration policy." Earlier this week, OMB began releasing $1.3 billion it had withheld for after-school and summer programming under the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, according to the Afterschool Alliance. The remaining funds to be released are: $2.2 billion for Title II-A for professional development. $1.4 billion for Title IV-A for student support and academic enrichment. $890 million for Title III-A for English-learner services. $375 million for Title I-C for migrant education. Education officials, Republican and Democratic lawmakers, education organizations, parents and nonprofits had all urged OMB to release the funds that were approved by Congress in an appropriations bill that President Donald Trump signed in March. They said the weekslong delay in accessing the money was already causing "budgetary chaos" for schools, which began cancelling contracts, laying off staff and eliminating programs when the funds didn't arrive as scheduled. The disruption also spurred two lawsuits. A survey by AASA, the School Superintendents Association, found that nearly 30% of districts said they needed access to the withheld funds by Aug. 1 to avoid cutting programs and services for students. By Aug. 15, survey respondents said they would have to notify parents and educators about the loss of programs and services. The survey was conducted earlier this month and drew responses from 628 superintendents in 43 states. On Friday, David Schuler, AASA's executive director, said in a statement that he was pleased the "critical" funds would now be available to schools. Sen Patty Murray, D-Wash., vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said in a statement Friday, "There is no good reason for the chaos and stress this president has inflicted on students, teachers, and parents across America for the last month, and it shouldn't take widespread blowback for this administration to do its job and simply get the funding out the door that Congress has delivered to help students." Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, addressed the news during a keynote speech Friday at the Together Educating America's Children conference in Washington, D.C., according to a press release. "Today, they backed down: our lobbying, our lawsuits, and our advocacy for why these funds matter to kids, it worked." Weingarten said. Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, said in a Friday statement, "These reckless funding delays have undermined planning, staffing, and support services at a time when schools should be focused on preparing students for success.' Recommended Reading Lawsuit adds pressure on Trump administration to release K-12 funds Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Axios
5 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Trump administration to release billions in frozen education funds
The Trump administration will release more than $5 billion in frozen funds for schools, the Department of Education announced Friday. The big picture: The administration has been facing bipartisan pressure to release the funds, with GOP senators issuing a public plea. Driving the news: The White House Office of Management and Budget completed a review of Title I-C, Title II-A, Title III-A, and Title IV-A ESEA funds and Title II WIOA funds and directed the Education Department to release them, department spokesperson Madi Biedermann said in an emailed statement. The agency will begin dispersing funds to states next week, she added. What they're saying: Sen. Shelley Moore Capito ( who was among the Republican lawmakers who signed onto a letter urging the administration to release the funding, said Friday that the funding supports critical programs people rely on. "The programs are ones that enjoy longstanding, bipartisan support like after-school and summer programs that provide learning and enrichment opportunities for school aged children, which also enables their parents to work and contribute to local economies, and programs to support adult learners working to gain employment skills, earn workforce certifications, or transition into postsecondary education, Capito said.
The Hill
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
Education Department releases $5 billion to schools after monthlong hold
The Department of Education announced Friday the release of more than $5 billion of funding to schools after an almost monthlong pause. At the beginning of July, the Trump administration paused the typical release of almost $7 billion in funding to schools that went toward after-school and summer activities, classes for English learners and adults and teacher preparation programs, among other things. Last week, the administration released more than $1 billion for after-school and summer programs but declined to say when the rest would be released. 'OMB has completed its review of Title I-C, Title II-A, Title III-A, and Title IV-A ESEA funds and Title II WIOA funds, and has directed the Department to release all formula funds. The agency will begin dispersing funds to states next week,' said Madi Biedermann, deputy assistant secretary for communications for the Education Department. Republicans were quick to celebrate the release many had fought for. Both of West Virginia's Republican senators, Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice, quickly reacted to news. 'This supports critical programs so many West Virginians rely on and I made that clear to OMB Director Vought,' Capito said on X, referring to Russ Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. 'The release of these funds will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the kids of West Virginia,' Justice, a former governor, said on X. Capito had led an effort among Senate Republicans earlier this month to push for the funding release. 'Exciting news to announce! All frozen education funding for the upcoming school year have been released, following my letter to the OMB! It helps centers like @KidsCanOmaha and our schools!' Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) posted. The White House argued the funds were paused because some money was going to a 'radical leftwing agenda.' An administration official told The Washington Post 'guardrails' have been put on the money to align with the administration's agenda, similar language described in the release of the first $1 billion. It is unclear what these guardrails are or how they will affect the funding. The move received bipartisan pushback, with a letter from 10 Republican senators and a lawsuit from Democratic-led states demanding the funds be released. The pause in funds led to delays and closures in some programs and layoffs at schools in Alaska. 'We are pleased public schools will receive the funding as appropriated by Congress for the 2025-26 school year. On the heels of our survey released Tuesday, detailing how disruptive withholding these funds would be for our nation's students, we thank our members and allies on the Hill. We appreciate their tireless advocacy, communication and outreach to the Administration about the importance of releasing these critical funds,' said David Schuler, executive director of The School Superintendents Association.
