The Trump administration is withholding nearly $6.9 billion in federal K-12 funding, and according to the Learning Policy Institute, more than $118 million of those funds were meant for Arizona schools.
Congress had passed a continuing resolution in March to extend the previous year’s funding levels. President Donald Trump signed it into law, allocating $45 billion for K-12 schools, but the U.S. Department of Education sent a notice to states on Monday, June 30, that “decisions have not yet been made concerning submissions and awards for this upcoming academic year.”
Schools typically receive federal funds on July 1, which coincides with the start of their fiscal year, but the notice stated they wouldn’t be receiving money for the following programs prior to a complete review:
- Migrant Education (ESEA Title I, Part C)
- Supporting Effective Instruction (ESEA Title II, Part A)
- English Language Acquisition/English Enhancement (ESEA Title III)
- Student Support and Academic Enrichment (ESEA Title IV, Part A)
- Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (ESEA Title IV, Part B)
A separate email notice added that funding for adult basic and literacy education would also be withheld.
As such, Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Representative Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04) sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought demanding that the Trump administration immediately release the funds.
“The timing of this withholding is particularly serious for Arizona schools that begin the new school earlier than many schools across the country,” they wrote. “One school district in Arizona begins the term on July 16, 2025. This freeze is putting Arizona school districts in an impossible financial situation, as school districts have already adopted their annual budgets and signed contracts for the upcoming school year.
“These investments are essential for student success—supporting critical afterschool programs, student support staff, teacher onboarding and professional development, and English language learning programs.”
Kelly and Stanton’s letter highlighted that by withholding those specific funds, the Trump administration is reducing Arizona’s federal education funding by 11.9% and leaving school districts in “an unsustainable period of limbo.”
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Stay tuned to KAWC for more information on the impact to Yuma and La Paz county schools.
