N.J. leaders demand release of federal education funds frozen by the Trump administration

From Camden and Cherry Hill to Trenton and the Jersey Shore, what about life in New Jersey do you want WHYY News to cover? Let us know.

New Jersey educators remain in limbo because of the abrupt withholding of $162 million in federal education dollars right before the money was supposed to be delivered to states on July 1.

That money represents 12.7% of total federal funding the Garden State receives annually. It pays for free and low-cost before- and after-school programs, STEM and technology education classes, English proficiency and academic enrichment, teacher training, recruitment and guidance counselor programs and school-based health services.

Why are the funds being withheld?

The U.S. Department of Education announced June 30 that the funding is being withheld after an initial review allegedly found federal education dollars were being “grossly misused to subsidize a radical left-wing agenda.”

The White House has not indicated how long the review will take. There’s also been no indication as to how much of the funding already approved by Congress will be released to the states, nor by when.

What is N.J. doing about it?

New Jersey has joined 23 other states and the District of Columbia to sue the Trump administration, alleging that the nearly $7 billion in funds were frozen illegally. The lawsuit calls on a federal judge to order the release of the money.

The other states that are part of the lawsuit include California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. The governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania have also joined the suit.

In a letter sent last week to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Office of Management and White House Budget Director Russell Vought, Gov. Phil Murphy said withholding the funds “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.”

‘It’s outrageous’

New Jersey U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone said he is demanding explanations.

“We sent a letter to the director of OMB, the Budget Office, basically saying that this is unlawful and that we have been given no reason why this money is being withheld,” Pallone said.

He said kids will be heading back to school at the end of August and there is now a looming uncertainty.

“Of course, teachers and educators and administrators at the various public schools are already planning, and if they can’t depend on this money they’re going to have to significantly cut back,” Pallone said.

Pallone’s letter to Vought demands the immediate delivery of the education funding for New Jersey and every local school district across the country.

Sean Spiller, president of the New Jersey Education Association, said that school districts across the Garden State are being left high and dry because they finalized their budgets this past spring.

“What do you do? How do you go back? Cut programs? Do you go back to the taxpayers?” Spiller said. “Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of options for them.”

He said cutting funding that helps kids learn doesn’t make sense.

“That’s not a partisan issue, that’s not conservative, progressive, Democrat, Republican,” he said. “This is about supporting our kids.”

“The departure from past federal funding allocation practices is unprecedented, and the NJDOE is reviewing and evaluating its options to ensure that students receive the resources they deserve,” N.J. Department of Education spokesman Mike Yaple told WHYY News.

Late Monday, New Jersey U.S. Sen. Cory Booker joined the chorus of lawmakers demanding that the education funding be released to the states.

“Any loss of expected funding will create budget shortfalls, forcing districts to cut essential programs designed to serve students, their families, and educators,” Booker said in a letter to Vought.

Pallone said the president wants to abolish the Department of Education, but he can’t do that because it’s authorized by Congress, not the executive branch.

“It just appears that the Trump administration doesn’t want to help public education at all,” he said. “That’s outrageous because most people get their education through public schools, and public schools are going to suffer.”

Spiller said it’s worrisome that staffing levels at the U.S. Department of Education continue to be cut.

“It’s problematic with the dollars that we’re seeing, it’s problematic with the oversight of those funds, it’s problematic with the sharing of ideas,” Spiller said. “On every level, it’s part of a disturbing pattern and trend.”