California Attorney General Rob Bonta has reached an agreement with the Trump Administration to release the remaining federal education funds that had been withheld from California and other states. The agreement requires the U.S. Department of Education to distribute the full balance of funding in question by October 3, 2025.
Last month, Bonta co-led a coalition of 23 attorneys general and two states in filing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over its decision to freeze funding for six longstanding education programs. These programs support after school and summer learning, teacher preparation, and assistance for students learning English. In California alone, more than $900 million in federal education funding was affected.
Attorney General Bonta stated: “The Trump Administration upended school programs across the country when it recklessly withheld vital education funding just weeks before the school year was set to begin. Fortunately, after we filed our lawsuit, the Trump Administration backed down and released the funding it had previously withheld. Today’s agreement ensures the rest of this funding is released, as scheduled, in October, successfully resolving our lawsuit. Over the past six months, state attorneys general have been a bulwark in the fight against the Trump Administration’s reckless and illegal efforts to slash, withhold, or condition federal funding, and we are not taking our foot off the gas. Our kids deserve so much better than what this anti-education Administration has to offer, and we will continue to fight to protect them from this President’s relentless attacks.”
The initial freeze on June 30 affected six programs administered by the Department of Education just weeks before many schools were set to open for a new academic year. For decades, these funds have supported educational initiatives for migrant children and English learners; improved classroom instruction; promoted technology use; funded community learning centers offering academic enrichment; and contributed to adult education and workforce development.
On July 14, Bonta’s coalition filed suit seeking a preliminary injunction against what they argued was an unlawful freeze that violated both federal statutes governing education funding and constitutional provisions about budgeting authority.
By July 25, California officials received notice that impounded funds would begin being released starting July 28. Grant Award Notifications confirmed all required funds had been made available as mandated.
Bonta has also taken legal action on related issues such as grant terminations for K-12 teacher preparation programs, mass firings within the Department of Education (ED), conditioning of K-12 education funding on new requirements, and discontinuation of mental health grants for schools. He previously secured $200 million in awarded funds intended to help address long-term impacts from COVID-19 disruptions on schools.
A copy of the motion to dismiss with stipulations is available online.
