Trump admin. holds $201M in federal money for Georgia education. Here’s why
.png "More than $201 million in grants to Georgia public schools — including those for migrant education, before- and after-school programs, and services for English language learners — have not yet been released for the upcoming school year.")
President Donald Trump’s administration notified states Monday that over $6 billion in previously approved K-12 federal education grants, typically disbursed by July 1, are not being given out until federal officials can review how the money is used.
The move came just as Georgia school districts finalized budgets for the upcoming academic year.
Over $201.4 million in grants that support various programs in Georgia public schools — including teacher development training, before- and after-school programs and services for English language learners — have been halted, according to data from the Learning Policy Institute.
The funding was expected to be released to states on Tuesday.
The U.S. Department of Education shared a notice with the Georgia Department of Education, stating that funding for fiscal year 2025 is under review due to the change in presidential administrations. Information from that notice was provided to The Telegraph by Georgia’s education department.
“Given the change in Administrations, the Department is reviewing the FY 2025 funding for the grant program(s), and decisions have not yet been made concerning submissions and awards for this upcoming academic year. Accordingly, the Department will not be issuing Grant Award Notifications obligating funds for these programs on July 1 prior to completing that review,” the U.S. Department of Education said.
“The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities,” the notice adds.
The Georgia Department of Education said it is unable to disburse any of the grants to school districts until the U.S. department formally releases them.
A spokesperson for the Office of Management and Budget told The Telegraph the review is part of an “ongoing programmatic review,” and emphasized that no final decisions have been made.
“Initial findings show that many of these grant programs have been grossly misused to subsidize a radical leftwing agenda,” the Office of Management and Budget said in an email, citing instances where funds were allegedly used to promote diversity, equity and inclusion-related initiatives.
“In one case, NY public schools used English Language Acquisition funds to promote illegal immigrant advocacy organizations. In another, Washington state used funds to direct illegal immigrants towards scholarships intended for American students. In yet another, School Improvement funds were used to conduct a seminar on ‘queer resistance in the arts,’” the spokesperson added.
The Department of Education has not provided a timeline for completing its review.
Georgia Department of Education spokesperson Meghan Frick added that Georgia Superintendent Richard Woods is committed to ensuring districts get the resources they need, and is prepared to call a state Board of Education meeting, if necessary, to expedite the money as soon as it’s released.
What’s being held up in Georgia?
The delayed grants include funding from several major federal education programs.
Affected programs include:
Title I-C: Supports education needs of migratory children, including children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers
Title II-A: Supports professional development to improve effectiveness of teachers and school leaders
Title III-A: Supports language instruction to help English language learners become proficient in English
Title IV-A: Supports school districts for a wide range of activities, including student enrichment programs and mental health services
Title IV-B: Supports 21st Century Community Learning Centers and high-quality before and after school-school programs
What does this mean for Georgia schools?
Education advocates and Democratic lawmakers argue the delay has undermined state and district processes already completed based on expected federal funds.
Verdaillia Turner, the Georgia Federation of Teachers president, emphasized the unprecedented nature of the freeze, which she said can threaten essential services for children and families.
“What those funds would have been going toward are now cut out — meaning Georgia, which has already voted on its budget, is being put between a rock and a hard place, and the school districts will be scrambling in terms of what they can implement in a school year that will start in a few weeks,” Turner told The Telegraph.
Turner added that schools may now face difficult decisions about which programs to maintain, or drastically cut, as they enter the new school year with significantly less federal support than anticipated. She also warned that teacher shortages may persist with the withholding of funds.
Districts such as Bibb County are already grappling with budget shortfalls and declining teacher retention rates. While Middle Georgia school officials have not yet issued statements specific to the grant delays, the timing adds to mounting pressures amid local and national debates over education priorities.
The unreleased funding aligns with Trump’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 “skinny budget,” which called for eliminating some of the same programs or consolidating them into block grants. Congress has not yet acted on that proposal.
Turner said the administration’s “strategic, calculated move” to freeze funds on July 1 could have ripple effects in districts where schools depend heavily on federal aid for free, extended programs that service low-income families and students of color.
“We don’t know the full effects yet, but we will feel them, particularly for programs that serve children and families that cannot afford before- or after-school programs. Those will be hit the hardest,” she said.