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The Trump administration’s decision to withhold billions in public school funding – more than $140 million earmarked for New Jersey alone – could jeopardize programs serving thousands of low-income students and English language learners in the state.
The U.S. Department of Education notified the state’s education department on June 30 that it would not issue the funds, which were approved by Congress earlier this year and set to be available on July 1, a move nonprofit advocacy groups called unlawful.
Last school year in New Jersey, the funds supported over 14,000 students in free summer and after-school programs, helped more than 100,000 students improve English proficiency and academics, and expanded STEM programs, dual enrollment, tutoring, family support, and staff training, according to the state’s education department in an email to Chalkbeat on Thursday.
In response, Gov. Phil Murphy this week urged federal leaders to disburse the funds immediately to prevent delays that “could threaten school districts’ continued provision of critical services,” according to a letter he sent Wednesday to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought.
“This departure from past practice threatens harm to students and educators in New Jersey and around the country. It undermines the timely, high-quality, thoughtful education and support services our students depend on to achieve their full learning potential,” said Murphy in his Wednesday letter.
The state’s education department “is reviewing and evaluating its options to ensure that students receive the resources they deserve,” wrote Mike Yaple, NJDOE spokesperson, in an email on Thursday.
Congress had approved the nearly $7 billion as part of a continuing resolution in March. The money was earmarked for seven federal programs in schools nationwide. Five of the programs fund K-12 education, while the other two support schools, community colleges, and organizations providing adult literacy and civics education.
A spokesperson for the Office of Management and Budget told Chalkbeat last week that its initial findings “have shown that many of these grant programs have been grossly misused to subsidize a radical leftwing agenda” but the office did not provide documentation for its findings.
Nonprofit advocacy groups like the Education Law Center and the Learning Policy Institute have been sounding the alarm about the consequences of halting federal funds. The policy institute last week in a blog post said that, for now, “states must begin to plan for the possibility that these funds may not become available, and if they do, it may not be for several months or longer.” They added that states may need to replace funds with state funds, provide funding to school districts most impacted and unable to replace the funds, or take other actions.
The Education Law Center in a press release last week called the Trump administration’s move to hold the funds an “illegal decision.”
“That illegal decision, like the other steps this administration has taken to shut down the Department, is unlawful and will harm students and families across the country,” the group wrote.
Of those funds in New Jersey, nearly $46 million is earmarked for teacher training, $23 million for English language learners, and $32 million for tutoring and other academic enrichment programs, according to the state education department. A state education department spokesperson did not confirm the amount of federal funds for state migrant education and before- and after-school programs that will be frozen by publication deadline.
Additionally, the state receives more than $15 million to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services, according to Murphy’s Wednesday letter. The state partnered with school districts, community colleges, and vocational schools across the state to provide the support.
In Newark Public Schools, New Jersey’s largest school district, the withheld federal funds include just under $2.5 million for teacher training, nearly $2 million for English learners, and another $2 million for tutoring. A state education department spokesperson did not confirm by publication deadline how much federal funding could be withheld for migrant education and before- and after-school programs in the Newark school district.
Federal funding has been a critical piece for Newark. In 2023, Superintendent Roger León said federal pandemic relief dollars were the district’s “saving grace” in expanding summer school, Saturday school, and before- and after-school programming.
In Newark, summer school is a combination of enrichment activities, specialized programs for high schoolers, and mandatory academic programs, and is funded in part by federal dollars. The district’s summer school also provides a program for English learners who have recently arrived in the country and a program for students with disabilities, focusing on maintaining the skills they developed throughout the school year.
The district has also been cautious in building its $1.5 billion budget for the upcoming school year. Historically, Newark has been one of New Jersey’s most underfunded school districts based on the state’s school funding formula, despite receiving a record high $1.3 billion in state aid for this fiscal year.
During the district’s budget hearing this spring, school business administrator Valerie Wilson said they budgeted conservatively in light of funding uncertainties at the federal level.
“We’re not quite sure what’s happening, how we’re going to deal with that, and you can’t assume that you’re going to have all the money you had in the past,” said Wilson during the March budget hearing.
Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org.
