New York Among States Suing the Trump Administration for Withholding Education Funding

New York is suing the Trump administration for withholding billions of dollars in education grants, calling the funding freeze “unconstitutional” and “capricious.”

The state is one of about two dozen suing President Donald Trump, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Management and Budget.

This follows a federal decision on June 30 to withhold more than $6 billion that Congress allocated to states for educational services including teacher training, academic enrichment — like school-based mental healthcare and suicide prevention — plus after school programs, migrant education, and adult literacy.

Those funds were expected to be distributed to states the following day.

For New York, that amounts to more than $463 million dollars, the state Attorney General’s Office confirmed.

“This illegal and unjustified funding freeze will be devastating for students and families nationwide, especially for those who rely on these programs for childcare or to learn English,” NY Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. “Congress allocated these funds, and the law requires that they be delivered. We will not allow this administration to rewrite the rules to punish the communities it doesn’t like.”

The U.S. Education Department notified states by email, according to the legal complaint.

“Given the change in Administrations, the Department is reviewing the FY 2025 funding for the [Title I-C, II-A, III-A, IV-A, IV-B] grant program(s), and decisions have not yet been made concerning submissions and awards for this upcoming academic year,” the email stated. “The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities.”

The lawsuit was filed Monday. The U.S. Department of Education did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Story by Noelle E. C. Evans/WXXI/New York Public News Network

Noelle E. C. Evans is WXXI’s Murrow Award-winning Education reporter/producer.

Image: Rochester City School District students arrive at Montessori Academy School No. 53 for the first day of classes in 2023. (Credit: Max Schulte/WXXI)