The Trump administration is preparing to release $6 billion in education funding before the beginning of the school year, after it froze the funds earlier this month to assess if programs “grossly misused” taxpayer dollars to promote a “radical leftwing agenda.”
A Department of Education spokesperson told ABC News on Friday that the administration is releasing the funds, which includes all title program funding for English language acquisition, teacher development and adult education, and other programs.
The outlet reportedly obtained a copy of a letter the department sent to states, announcing the release of the funds at the start of next week, Monday, July 28. Education agencies in various states, including Rhode Island, Utah, Nebraska, and Mississippi, told ABC News the Department of Education has notified them of funds being released. The letter reportedly tells states they are prohibited from violating federal laws, executive orders, and Office of Management and Budget regulations as a condition of receiving funding.
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon told the outlet in an interview on Thursday that the funding was paused because “[w]e want to make [sure] that we have the right focus on what we’re trying to do without students.”
Several GOP senators sent a letter to OMB Director Russ Vought last week, asking him to reverse the decision to pause the release of the $6 billion in education funding appropriated by Congress.
“Friday’s announcement comes a week after OMB unfroze more than $1 billion in after-school and summer learning funds that had been under review,” according to the report. “A senior administration official said the states would have to adhere to new guardrails moving forward. Many programs told ABC News they received the after-school and summer learning funding earlier this week.”
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.