WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, welcomed the Trump Administration’s decision to relent in the face of public opposition and finally release nearly $6 billion in federal funding for K-12 schools and adult education programs that it had been unlawfully withholding for weeks.

Instead of disbursing the federal funds on July 1, the Trump Administration abruptly informed states the day before that it would withhold nearly $7 billion that public schools were counting on, forcing school districts nationwide to scramble and plug serious budget holes. Some schools were forced to decide between laying off teachers or ending after school programs in the coming weeks.

The Trump funding freeze on K-12 public school dollars put about $30 million in federal education funding for Rhode Island at risk for this coming school year. The frozen funds represented 7.6 percent of the entire U.S. Department of Education’s budget for fiscal year 2025.

Frustrated and alarmed by the unlawful withholding of this federal money for after-school programs, summer learning, teacher training, adult literacy, and other programs, state lawmakers and public educators across the political spectrum spoke out against the Trump Administration’s education funding freeze and urged them to change course.

“President Trump tried to shortchange students, but elected officials, educators, and communities across the country spoke up and forced the Trump Administration to relent. School districts were left scrambling trying to figure out if they could afford to pay for student services that had already been funded. The Trump White House put those funds in limbo and needlessly left many local school budgets in the lurch. The Trump Administration’s poor management inflicted real stress on schools, teachers, and communities. It’s inexcusable. Students deserve better and elected leaders should be working to strengthen schools, not causing needless partisan chaos,” said Senator Reed.

Today, without explanation, the Trump Administration finally relented and confirmed it will disburse this funding in the coming days, including:

Title II-A for professional development: $2.19 billion

Title IV-A for student support and academic enrichment: $1.38 billion

Title III-A for English-learner services: $890 million

Title I-C for migrant education: $376 million

Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants: $715 million

Senator Reed repeatedly called on President Trump to release the funding, joining colleagues on both sides of the aisle in demanding the funds flow.

Reed has also strongly opposed the Trump Administration’s plans to cut federal investments in education by 15 percent.