Trump administration withholds over $6 billion for after-school, summer
programs and more
[July 02, 2025]
By COLLIN BINKLEY, BIANCA VÁZQUEZ TONESS, SHARON LURYE and
ANNIE MA
WASHINGTON (AP) — Day camp providers and schools are warning that a
Trump administration funding freeze could wreck summer for low-income
American families and wipe out some after-school programming next year.
The administration is withholding more than $6 billion in federal grants
for after-school and summer programs, English language instruction,
adult literacy and more as part of a review to ensure grants align with
President Donald Trump’s priorities.
The move leaves states and schools in limbo as they budget for programs
this summer and in the upcoming school year, introducing new uncertainty
about when — or if — they will receive the money. It also sets the stage
for a clash with Democrats, who say the administration is flouting the
law by holding back money Congress appropriated.
Without the money, schools say they won't be able to provide free or
affordable after-school care for low-income kids while their parents
work, and they may not be able to hire staff to teach children who are
learning English. Even classes or camps underway this summer could be in
jeopardy.
For instance, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America depend on some of the
withheld money to run camps and other summer programming for low-income
students. If funding isn’t restored soon, the programming may end
mid-season, said Boys and Girls Club President Jim Clark.
After-school programming in the fall could also take a hit. “If these
funds are blocked, the fallout will be swift and devastating,” Clark
said. As many as 926 Boys and Girls Clubs could close, affecting more
than 220,000 kids, the group said.
Programs that rely on the money were expecting it to be distributed July
1, but an Education Department notice issued Monday announced the money
would not be released while the programs are under review. The
department did not provide a timeline and warned that “decisions have
not yet been made” on grants for the upcoming school year.
“The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are
spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s
statutory responsibilities,” Education Department officials wrote in the
notice, which was obtained by The Associated Press.
The department referred questions to the Office of Management and
Budget, which did not respond to a request for comment.
After-school child care at risk
In Gadsden City Schools in Alabama, officials say they'll have no choice
but to shutter their after-school program serving more than 1,200
low-income students if federal funds aren't released. There’s no other
way to make up for the frozen federal money, said Janie Browning, who
directs the program.
Families who rely on after-school programs would lose an important
source of child care that keeps children safe and engaged while their
parents work. The roughly 75 employees of the district's after-school
programs may lose their jobs.
“Those hours between after school and 6 o’clock really are the hours in
the day when students are at the most risk for things that may not
produce great outcomes,” Browning said. “It would be devastating if we
lost the lifeline of afterschool for our students and our families.”
Jodi Grant, executive director of the Afterschool Alliance, said
withholding the money could cause lasting damage to the economy.
Some advocates fear the grants are being targeted for elimination, which
could force schools to cut programs and teachers. Trump’s 2026 budget
proposal called for Congress to zero out all of the programs under
review, signaling the administration sees them as unnecessary.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., pressed the administration to spend the
money as Congress intended.
[to top of second column]
|
Jaelene, 9, works on a computer during a third grade English
language arts class at Mount Vernon Community School, in Alexandria,
Va., May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
“Every day that this funding is held up is a day that school
districts are forced to worry about whether they’ll have to cut back
on afterschool programs or lay off teachers instead of worrying
about how to make sure our kids can succeed,” Murray said in a
statement.
What the money funds
The six grant programs under review include one known as 21st
Century Community Learning Centers. It’s the primary federal funding
source for after-school and summer learning programs and supports
more than 10,000 local programs nationwide, according to the
Afterschool Alliance. Every state runs its own competition to
distribute the grants, which totaled $1.3 billion this fiscal year.
Also under review are $2 billion in grants for teachers'
professional development and efforts to reduce class size; $1
billion for academic enrichment grants, often used for science and
math education and accelerated learning; $890 million for students
who are learning English; $376 million to educate the children of
migrant workers; and $715 million to teach adults how to read.
These programs account for over 20% of the federal money the
District of Columbia receives for K-12 education, according to an
analysis by the Learning Policy Institute, a think tank. California
alone has over $800,000 in limbo, while Texas has over $660,000.
“Trump is illegally impounding billions of dollars appropriated by
Congress to serve students this fiscal year," said Tony Thurmond,
California's state superintendent, in a statement. “The
Administration is punishing children when states refuse to cater to
Trump’s political ideology.
The loss of funds could “put several more school districts in
extreme financial distress,” said Chris Reykdal, superintendent of
public instruction in Washington state. Districts have already
adopted budgets, planned programming and hired staff, assuming
they'd receive the money, Reykdal said.
If the funding freeze remains, children learning English and their
parents would be especially affected. Some districts use the money
to pay for summer programming designed for English learners, family
engagement specialists who can communicate with parents and
professional development training for staff. Rural districts would
be hit the hardest.
“They’re trying to send a message,” said Amaya Garcia, who oversees
education research at New America, a left-leaning think tank. “They
don’t believe that taxpayer funding should be used for these
children.”
Umatilla School District in rural eastern Oregon — with a sizable
population of migrant families and students learning English —
relies heavily on federal funding for its after-school and summer
school programs. Superintendent Heidi Sipe says she is meeting with
state officials soon to find out if the district will have to plan
an early end to summer school, an option 20% of students are using.
Come this fall, if federal money stays frozen, she’ll have to lay
off staff and eliminate after-school programs attended by around
half the district's students.
“It’s an essential service in our community because we don’t have
any licensed child care centers for school-age children,” she said.
Sipe said it’s particularly frustrating to deal with these funds
being put into limbo because the school district was in the middle
of a five-year grant period.
“It feels preventable,” she said, “and it feels as though we could
have done a better job planning for America’s children.”
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
