Shapiro joins lawsuit to claw back education funding withheld by Trump administration

Pennsylvania joined 23 other states and the District of Columbia in challenging what they call the federal government’s unlawful withholding of funding for after-school programs, teacher training, literacy, and education for migrant and non-English speaking students.

Two weeks after the Trump administration decided to pause $230 million in congressionally-approved funding for Pennsylvania’s schools, Gov. Josh Shapiro has joined a lawsuit to challenge the move.

Along with Pennsylvania, 23 other states and the District of Columbia are challenging what they call the federal government’s unlawful withholding of funding for after-school programs, teacher training, literacy, and education for migrant and non-English speaking students.

“Every Pennsylvania child deserves the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed,” Shapiro said. “Once again, the Trump Administration is trying to take away dollars that were committed to Pennsylvania — this time from our schools.”

The announcement came one day before the money was supposed to be made available to schools on July 1. 

There was no advance warning, according to Shapiro’s office. It also occurred days after the deadline for school districts in the commonwealth to approve their budgets.

“The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities,” the Education Department wrote to states. The notice did not provide any timeline — noting the funds are under review.

A total of $7 billion in funding earmarked for seven federal programs  is being withheld from schools across the country.

Pennsylvania’s share – $230 million – ranks sixth among the states after California, Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois, according to an analysis by Education Week.

The state Education Department estimated the impact on commonwealth schools and other organizations that expected to receive the funds:

• Title I-C, Migrant Education: $11 million
• Title II-A, Supporting Effective Instruction: $70 million
• Title III-A, English Language Acquisition: $20 million
• Title IV-B, 21st Century Community Learning Centers: $54 million
• Adult Education Basic Grants to States: $20 million

The federal dollars normally would go toward programs that benefit children affected by poverty through summer school and after-school tutoring and enrichment programs; immigrant students and English learners, children of migrant workers; youth in the foster care system and juvenile justice system; and adults seeking basic education as a pathway to post-secondary education and employment, according to the Shapiro administration.

Other states joining the lawsuit California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as Washington, D.C.

NC Newsline reports North Carolina joined the suit because it was out $165 million.

“Congress created these programs and authorized this funding,” North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson said. “The Department of Education does not have the authority to now withhold those funds, certainly not the night before they were set to arrive.”