WASHINGTON (WDNews) — Summer camps, after-school programs, English language lessons, and adult literacy initiatives are all impacted by the Trump administration’s decision to freeze more than $6 billion in federal education funds. The U.S. Department of Education says the funding is being reviewed to make sure it fits with President Donald Trump’s priorities.
Schools and programs around the country are in a panic due to the delay. Many were relying on the funds to provide low-income families’ programs this summer and into the upcoming academic year.
If the funds aren’t given, Gadsden City Schools in Alabama would have to terminate their after-school program for more than 1,200 pupils. According to program director Janie Browning, “it would be devastating if we lost the lifeline of afterschool for our students and our families.”
The subsidies are also essential to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Jim Clark, the president of the club, issued a warning that up to 926 facilities would close, impacting over 220,000 children.
Six significant grant programs, including the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which promote summer and after-school education in all 50 states, are included in the freeze.
The freeze is causing confusion, according to education leaders in states including California, Texas, and Washington. Some claim the administration is unlawfully withholding monies that Congress has approved. The administration was urged to distribute the funds as planned by Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington.
In rural Oregon, Heidi Sipe, the superintendent, stated that the freeze might compel her district to reduce fall programs and stop summer school early. “It feels like it could be avoided,” she remarked. We should have planned for America’s children more effectively.
The government has not stated whether or when the funds will be made available.
