Trump Admin. Cuts $8M In Funding To North Jersey School District

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — The U.S. Department of Education has cut millions of dollars in grant funding to the Paterson School District, officials said.

On Tuesday, the DOE notified the Paterson School District that its Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) grant will cease at the end of this year.

The FSCS grant, which provides roughly $8 million to the district, is used to fund services related to academic, health, and after-school support to students and families across eight schools. It was launched nationwide in 2008 to assist school districts in impoverished areas.

The district said the DOE’s reason for pulling funding was that “the grant no longer aligns with the current administration’s priorities and policy preferences.”

“The Full-Service Community Schools grant supports vital services that thousands of our students and families rely on. While this decision was made at the federal level, our responsibility to our community remains unchanged,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Laurie W. Newell. “We are moving quickly to understand the full implications of this action, to advocate for our students, and to pursue every available option to sustain critical support services.”

Paterson is one of the poorest cities in the state, with roughly 29 percent of residents below the poverty line. Additionally, 41 percent of Paterson children fall below the poverty level.

This is why Congresswoman Nellie Pou (D-9) has written a letter to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon requesting that the funding continue to be provided.

“I write to express grave concerns over the Department of Education’s recent decision to terminate Paterson, New Jersey School District’s Full-Service Community School grants,” the letter reads. “This unfounded decision will cause catastrophic harm to students and impede their ability to succeed both in and out of the classroom. I am demanding that the Department of Education reconsider this decision and reverse course before it is too late.

"As the representative serving New Jersey’s Ninth Congressional District, I cannot and will not stand idly while my constituents—and specifically, children—risk losing access to food, health care, and vital academic programming that charts them on a course for a better future," it continues. "Therefore, I demand that the Education Department immediately review and reverse this decision. In addition, I am making myself available to you, Secretary McMahon, to meet and discuss this issue."

In addition to efforts from lawmakers to have Paterson’s grant funding restored, the Paterson School District intends to file an appeal with the U.S. DOE.