Trump's K-12 funding hold leaves $71M in limbo for Colorado
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Colorado is missing out on about $71 million in federal education funding that was expected on July 1 but has yet to be released by the Trump administration.
Why it matters: The Department of Education's funding delay deals a major blow to local summer school and after-school programs, as well as English-language instruction and other resources that aim to level the playing field for schoolchildren.
Catch up quick: The Education Department said in a last-minute notice that the funds would not be released while the programs were under review, according to the School Superintendents Association.
By the numbers: The funding at risk includes nearly $13 million in after-school and summer instruction in Colorado, per the Learning Policy Institute, which conducts research to improve education policies.
- The funding pays for programming in underserved and low-performing schools.
- The pause also affects about $26 million in educator development funds, $11 million in English language programming and $7 million for migrant education in Colorado.
Zoom out: Some $6.2 billion in K-12 funds across five programs remains unavailable to schools across the country, per the LPI estimates.
Threat level: If 21st Century Community Learning Center funds — the chief stream for academic enrichment outside of school hours — remain blocked, the "fallout will be swift and devastating," Boys and Girls Clubs of America President and CEO Jim Clark said in a statement.
- Up to 926 Boys and Girls Clubs could be forced to shut their doors, he said, and club sites and camps "could shutter mid-season — upending care for working parents and leaving kids without critical safety nets."
- There are more than 80 Boys and Girls Clubs locations across Colorado.