Politics

Trump Administration Releases $7B in Education Funds

By Jake Beardslee · July 26, 2025

The Trump administration announced Friday it will release the remaining billions in federal education funding that had been withheld for weeks, following bipartisan criticism from lawmakers and education officials.

Last week, the administration released $1.3 billion earmarked for after-school programs. On Friday, it moved to free the rest of the nearly $7 billion total, which includes funding for teacher training, English-language learners, and other federally supported education initiatives.

A senior administration official said the delay allowed time to install “guardrails” ensuring that grantees do not use the funds in ways that violate President Donald Trump’s executive orders or policy directives.

The decision follows sustained pressure from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. “The education formula funding included in the FY2025 Continuing Resolution Act supports critical programs that so many rely on,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), the top Republican on the Senate subcommittee overseeing education spending. Capito led a group of GOP senators urging White House budget director Russ Vought to release the money.

Other Republicans, including Sen. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) and Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), praised the release, calling it a win for their states and constituents.

But Democrats expressed frustration with the initial delay. “There is no good reason for the chaos and stress this president has inflicted on students, teachers, and parents across America for the last month,” said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This administration deserves no credit for just barely averting a crisis they themselves set in motion.”

The funding delay had caused widespread uncertainty for state education agencies and school districts, which were relying on the approved FY2025 funds to address key budget needs.