The Trump administration is releasing $28 million in previously-withheld after-school grants for Louisiana. Michael Faulk, the executive director of the Louisiana School Superintendents Association, says while it is good news, the money is a fraction that schools had expected to receive, for after-school programs, according to a report from the Louisiana Radio Network. Another $4.9 billion is still frozen for K-12 schools nationwide, which the administration says continues to be reviewed for bias by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
The administration has accused states and schools of misusing federal education grants. In a statement from the OMB on July 2, the agency said an official review found that schools used some of the money to support children of immigrants not in the country legally and promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion, to help fund “a radical left-wing agenda,” prompting reviews.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration told states and districts it would require them to sign a certification letter saying they would not spend federal funding on anything related to DEI, an acronym which stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion. In all, two-dozen states refused to sign, and advocacy organizations successfully sued to block the administration from enforcing the new requirement.
In Louisiana, Faulk says the lesser amount of funding will cause some school districts to do some significant belt-tightening. “That’s significant for a lot of school districts, for others, they’re expecting to receive more.” Faulk says the partial release of funds removes at least some of the uncertainty, as a new school year fast approaches. “With the release of these funds, for programs that they have in existence right now, that they’re trying to prepare the students for the start of the school year. It’s a great help.”
In 1998, Congress created the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant program, also known as Title IV-B. It helps school districts across the country to support vulnerable students and provide extra instruction before and after school hours.
