Kelly, Gallego, Colleagues Demand Trump Administration Release Nearly $7 Billion for K–12 Education
Today, Arizona Mark Kelly (D-AZ) joined Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and 13 Senate colleagues in demanding answers from Education Secretary Linda McMahon about the Trump administration’s decision to withhold nearly $7 billion in federal funding for K–12 public schools, including $118 million for Arizona.
On July 1, schools across the country were unable to access Congressionally-appropriated federal education grants after the Department of Education abruptly froze funding for multiple authorized programs. With this funding already factored into school budgets, the lack of clarity on funding availability has left schools scrambling just weeks before the new school year begins, forcing districts to delay staffing decisions, scale back programs, and reconsider essential student support services.
“These funds, which represent longstanding investments in K–12 education, support a wide range of priorities such as teacher recruitment, after-school programs, English learner instruction, school-based mental health services, and academic enrichment,” the senators wrote. “Withholding funds for these important programs will disrupt essential services and undermine the support structures that students, families, and educators rely on every day.”
The senators continued, “Federal education programs play a crucial role in advancing equity and expanding opportunity, especially for students from low-income and historically underserved communities. With learning gaps widening and student needs growing more complex, limiting access to these resources risks deepening disparities and undermining progress across the education system.”
The senators urged the Department to restore the funding and provide clarity for schools and educators: “Congress has a constitutional responsibility to appropriate federal education funds, and it is essential that those funds are administered transparently and in accordance with federal law. We urge the Department to work with school districts to provide clarity, minimize disruption, and ensure that critical educational services remain accessible to the students who need them most.”
In addition to Kelly and Gallego, the letter was signed by Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Ossoff (D-GA), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA).
The letter is endorsed by Third Way and the National Parents Union.
Read the full letter here.
