AG Kaul, Coalition Announce Restoration of Previously Withheld Education Department Funding

MADISON, Wis. – Attorney General Josh Kaul today responded to official confirmation that the U.S. Department of Education has released previously withheld education funding to Wisconsin. AG Kaul joined a coalition in filing a lawsuit in July challenging the Trump Administration’s abrupt and unlawful decision to freeze this funding.

“This is a welcome development—though this funding shouldn’t have been withheld previously,” said AG Kaul. “The federal government should be administering funding in a manner that’s consistent with the relevant federal laws.”

BACKGROUND

On June 30, the Trump Administration abruptly and unlawfully froze funding for six longstanding programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education. States have used funding under these programs to carry out a broad range of programs and services, including educational programs for migrant children and English learners; programs that promote effective classroom instruction, improve school conditions and the use of technology in the classroom; community learning centers that offer students a broad range of opportunities for academic and extracurricular enrichment; and adult education and workforce development efforts. In Wisconsin, an estimated $72 million in federal education funding was frozen, with many ongoing summer learning programs left immediately unfunded.

On July 14, AG Kaul joined a coalition filing a lawsuit and motion for a preliminary injunction, arguing that the freeze violates federal funding statutes and regulations authorizing these critical programs and appropriating funds for them, federal statutes governing the federal budgeting process, and the constitutional separation of powers doctrine and the Presentment Clause.

When the freeze was announced, Wisconsin school districts were already finalizing their budgets, developing staffing plans, and signing contracts to provide vital educational services supported by these grants. School districts in Wisconsin and across the country thus were finding themselves without sufficient funding for these commitments in advance of the 2025-26 school year. With contracts and staffing already set, most schools would have had little flexibility to absorb the shortfall. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction would have had to begin a layoff process of staff who support school districts if these funds were not received.

Wisconsin’s technical colleges would have also been impacted by this federal funding freeze. More than $7.5 million in adult education grants were on hold, threatening programs that serve nearly 34,000 adult learners statewide. Without this federal funding, adults working toward a high school diploma or improving their English skills could have lost access to the classes and support they need to succeed. The Wisconsin Technical College System Board was forced to begin canceling professional development activities, and staff layoffs could have soon followed, further disrupting services. The sudden funding loss would have left Wisconsin’s technical colleges with budget shortfalls that threatened the stability of these important programs.

Now that the funding freeze has ended, these critical education programs can continue serving Wisconsinites through at least the start of the school year.

AG Kaul is committed to defending Wisconsin educational institutions and students against the Trump Administration’s illegal attacks. Wisconsin has joined lawsuits challenging the termination of grant funding for K-12 teacher preparation programs; the mass firings and dismantling of the Education Department; conditioning of K-12 education funding; and the discontinuation of school mental health grant funding.

Joining AG Kaul in this lawsuit were the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington and the Governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.