More than 20 states sued President Trump's administration on Monday over billions of dollars in frozen education funding for after-school care, summer programs, and more. Some of the withheld money funds the programming at Boys & Girls Clubs, the YMCA, or public schools attended by 1.4 million children and teenagers nationwide. Congress set aside money to provide academic support, enrichment, and child care to mostly low-income families. But Trump's administration recently froze the funding, the AP reports, saying it wants to ensure programs align with the Republican president's priorities.
Led by California, the lawsuit alleges withholding the money violates the Constitution and several federal laws. Many low-income families will lose access to after-school programs if the money isn't released soon, according to the suit. Schools in Republican-led areas are particularly affected by the freeze in federal education grants. Ninety-one of the 100 school districts that receive the most money from four frozen grant programs are in Republican congressional districts, according to an analysis from New America, a left-leaning think tank. Half of those 100 districts are in four states: California, West Virginia, Florida, and Georgia. New America's analysis used funding levels reported in 2022 in 46 states.
"I deeply believe in fiscal responsibility, which means evaluating the use of funds and seeking out efficiencies, but also means being responsible—releasing funds already approved by Congress and signed by President Trump," said Georgia schools Superintendent Richard Woods, an elected Republican. "In Georgia, we're getting ready to start the school year, so I call on federal funds to be released so we can ensure the success of our students."
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