ED to States: ESEA Funds for School Year 2025-2026 On Hold

In a blow to state and local school budgets, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) has sent an unsigned email to states announcing that certain funding for the school year 2025-2026 will not be issued on July 1. ED noted that “Decisions have not been made concerning submissions and awards for this upcoming academic year,” and specified that four programs -authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and funded by Congress via Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations- will not be funded. The programs are Title I-C for migrant education ($375 million); Title II-A for professional development ($2.2 billion); Title III-A for English-learner services ($890 million); Title IV-A for academic enrichment ($1.3 billion); and Title IV-B for before and after-school programs ($1.4 billion). While this hold on ESEA funds does not directly impact access to funds to provide special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), it does impact every district’s ability to hire trained personnel, provide professional learning to educators and specialized support personnel, and give services to qualifying students with disabilities who also qualify as English Learners and/or migrant students, and more. COPAA and partners do not agree with ED’s withholding any K-12 funds appropriated by Congress and have urged Secretary McMahon to issue all Fiscal Year 2025 funds to states and districts as part of the comments submitted to ED in JuneThe Learning Policy Institute has provided a state-by-state look at the impact of ED’s decision to withhold ESEA funds.

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