Pinellas schools brace for cuts because of Trump's funding freeze
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Pinellas County Schools is bracing for cuts now that the Trump administration has frozen nearly $9 million in grant money the district expected to receive, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Why it matters: Students return to classes in a few weeks, but whether there will be enough staff to support them is unclear. The district relies on federal funds for more than 40 jobs, and without them, cuts are expected.
Catch up quick: The Trump administration is sitting on billions of dollars in federal grants, which help school districts across the U.S. afford programs such as migrant education and English language instruction.
- On June 30, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it would withhold funds to review compliance with the "president's priorities" — just one day before the scheduled disbursement.
- Trump released before- and after-school funds under pressure, but funding for migrant education, professional development, English learner services and academic enrichment remains frozen.
The latest: The school district will hold a forum on Thursday at 6pm in the Administration Building's conference hall to explain the impact of the funding freeze to "families, staff and stakeholders."
- "It's important for the public at large to see how these cuts are affecting their schools," Pinellas County Board member Katie Blaxberg told the Times.
- Attendees will have the chance to voice their concerns during a moderated question-and-answer session.
Driving the news: Pinellas won't include the grant money in its budget until it is released, according to the Times.
- Pinellas County Superintendent Kevin Hendrick told the newspaper that there are ways to fund some of the affected positions, but he didn't offer many specifics.
Zoom out: Across the country, $6.8 billion in federal education grants have been frozen, including almost $400 million earmarked for Florida schools.
- The Florida PTA and the Florida Education Association signed onto a multistate lawsuit against the Trump administration over the funding freeze, per the Times.
What's next: Pinellas County Schools will hold its tentative budget hearing for the 2025–26 school year on July 29.