Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday joined 13 Democratic governors in demanding that Education Secretary Linda McMahon release $6.8 billion in education grants that are being withheld by the Trump administration.
The letter to McMahon comes just days after 24 states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration over the funding freeze in education grants for K-12 schools and adult education. States were notified that the grants were being withheld on June 30 — and more than 100 House Democrats also wrote a letter to McMahon last week, pressing for her to “follow the law” and release the funds ahead of the new school year.
The funds were withheld for after-school and summer programs, adult literacy, English language courses and other programs as part of a review to ensure the funds align with Trump’s priorities.
“The U.S. Department of Education’s failure to distribute these funds is unacceptable. It disrupts school operations, undermines student services, and violates the Department’s obligation to administer funding in a timely and responsible manner,” governors wrote in the new letter. “Withholding this funding is unprecedented and severely limits the ability of public schools and adult education providers to implement evidence-based interventions, close learning gaps, and support students most in need.”
Pritzker led the effort alongside the governors of Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Connecticut, Oregon, Kansas, Delaware, California, Kentucky, Wisconsin, New Mexico and Michigan.
“The Trump administration is not only openly flouting the law, they are abandoning their responsibility to our students,” Pritzker said in a statement. “This unprecedented and irresponsible withholding of lawful, bipartisan funding will force cuts to critical programs and hold back the next generation from reaching their full potential.”
The Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Community College Board estimate that the Trump administration is withholding $241.8 million from Illinois schools, community colleges and adult education. That includes $75.6 million to support 784 local educational agencies and the mentoring of 250 novice superintendents; $30.4 million to support 293,070 English learners in 274 districts and 56,842 eligible immigrant students in 137 districts; $56.6 million for student support and academic enrichment; $54.3 million for community learning centers; $1.9 million for migrant education for 1,200 eligible students; $20 million for adult education basic grants; and $3 million for adult English literacy and civics education, according to Pritzker’s office.
“There is no justification for withholding these funds,” the letter reads. “Our schools cannot wait. Our students should not have to suffer the whims of administrative overreach.”