$98.6M In MD Education Funding Paused By Trump Administration: See Impacted Programs

The Trump administration is withholding more than $6 billion in funding already appropriated by Congress that could affect after-school, student support, teacher training, English language, adult literacy and other education programs in Maryland .

The pause is part of a review to ensure grants align with President Donald Trump’s priorities, but leaves states and schools in limbo as they budget for programs this summer and in the upcoming school year, introducing new uncertainty about when — or if — they will receive the money.

Without the money, schools say they won’t be able to provide free or affordable after-school care for low-income kids while their families work, and may not be able to hire staff to teach children who are learning English. Even classes or summer camps already underway this summer could be in jeopardy.

Raven Hill, spokesperson for the state education department, said officials are still analyzing the full impact on public education statewide.

"According to our preliminary projections, Maryland is expected to receive an estimated $125 million less in federal funding for specific Title programs compared to last year. These funds represent real dollars and real positions in school systems across our state," Hill told Patch.

The following programs are either reduced or entirely unfunded based on their estimates, per Hill:

• Title I, Part A (Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Education Agencies): $26.7 million (8.3%) decrease
• Title I, Part C (Migrant Education): No funds allocated
• Title IV, Part A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment): No funds allocated
• Title IV, Part B (21st Century Before and After School): No funds allocated
• Title V (Rural Education): $2,621 (1.7%) decrease
• McKinney-Vento (Homeless Education Assistance): $251,481 (11.3%) decrease
• Title II, Part A (Teacher and School Leader Support): No funds allocated
• Title III, Part A (English Learners): No funds allocated

"We are deeply concerned about any drop in federal funding. Many school systems are not prepared to absorb cuts to before and after-school learning enrichment programs, professional development for school staff and tutoring programs," Hill said.

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Elev8 Baltimore, a grant recipient under the 21st Century program, could be impacted. Executive Director Alexandria Adams told The Baltimore Banner that the organization has not received notification regarding the status of the final year of funding under a multiyear grant, but "is planning for the worst."

“Quite frankly, we’re trying to raise money to backfill — just being very thoughtful, because we have 10 programs that are at jeopardy of closing," Adams said. “Those are in some of the most neediest communities.”

Ellie Mitchell, director of the Maryland Out of School Time Network, which works to increase access to high-quality after-school and summer programs, said the federal education department’s decision “kind of decimates our field,” reported The Baltimore Banner.

“There’s a whole ecosystem of youth development organizations that braid and blend funding in order to survive as organizations,” Mitchell said. “And when you pull one thread, and this is a big thread ... you start to topple the whole garment.”

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen posted on X his concerns about the latest political maneuvering.

Trump continues his lawless, outrageous attack on our schools and education. This is another illegal withholding of funds and it cannot stand. https://t.co/Ck6NgrPMvU
— Senator Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) July 2, 2025

After-School Programs At Risk

According to the Learning Policy Institute, Maryland stands to lose $98.6M, or 13.6 percent of K-12 funding, if the programs paused by Trump’s Education Department are eliminated after the review.

The six grant programs under review include one establishing 21st Century Community Learning Centers. According to the Learning Policy Institute, Maryland would lose $25M for these programs.

Grant funding is the primary federal funding source for after-school programs and supports more than 10,000 local programs nationwide, according to the nonprofit, nonpartisan Afterschool Alliance. Each state runs its own competition to distribute the grants, which totaled $1.3 billion this fiscal year.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of America depend on some of the withheld money to run camps and other summer programming for low-income students. If funding isn't restored soon, the programming may end mid-season, Boys and Girls Club President Jim Clark told The Associated Press.

After-school programming in the fall could also take a hit. “If these funds are blocked, the fallout will be swift and devastating,” Clark said. As many as 926 Boys and Girls Clubs could close, affecting more than 220,000 kids, the group said.

What Else Is Cut?

The other five programs, and the effect of cuts on Maryland if the funding is eliminated, are, according to the Learning Policy Institute, are:

• $2 billion in grants for teachers’ professional development and efforts to reduce class size (Maryland would lose $30M);
• $1 billion for academic enrichment grants, often used for science and math education and accelerated learning (Maryland would lose $26M);
• $890 million for students who are learning English (Maryland would lose $16M);
• $376 million to educate the children of migrant workers (Maryland would lose $231K); and
• $715 million to teach adults how to read (Maryland would lose $98M).

Programs Targeted In Trump’s Budget

Programs that rely on the money were expecting it to be distributed July 1, but an Education Department notice issued June 30 announced the money would not be released while the programs are under review. The department did not provide a timeline and warned that “decisions have not yet been made” on grants for the upcoming school year.

Some advocates fear the grants are being targeted for elimination, which could force schools to cut programs and teachers. Trump’s 2026 budget proposal called for Congress to zero out all the programs under review, signaling the administration sees them as unnecessary.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington) pressed the administration to spend the money as Congress intended.

"Every day that this funding is held up is a day that school districts are forced to worry about whether they'll have to cut back on after-school programs or lay off teachers instead of worrying about how to make sure our kids can succeed," Murray said in a statement.

“Trump is illegally impounding billions of dollars appropriated by Congress to serve students this fiscal year,” Tony Thurmond, California's state superintendent, said in a statement. “The Administration is punishing children when states refuse to cater to Trump's political ideology."

The Associated Press contributed reporting.