Trump admin partially restores paused federal education funding under new 'guardrails'

The Trump administration is restoring some of the federal funding it withheld earlier this month, a spokesperson told WRAL News on Friday.

Federal officials will release money for before- and after-school and summer programs -- one of several funding streams that was paused July 1, pending a federal review of alignment with Trump administration priorities and executive orders since the funds were last distributed.

Funding for North Carolina's programs totals $35.7 million this year. Another about $130 million remains paused, for teacher training and mentorship ($67.9 million), school improvement and academic enrichment services ($37.2 million), English-language education for non-native speakers ($19.3 million) and various services for children of migrants ($5.4 million). More than $17 million supported adult literacy and workforce training in North Carolina's community colleges for people who don't have a high school diploma or equivalency degree.

The programs restored Friday -- provided under the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant program -- provide academic opportunities outside of normal school hours for students who attend low-performing schools. Some school systems operate the programs, but they are largely operated by dozens of nonprofits in the state, such as the YMCA and Boys and Girls Clubs.

"The programmatic review is over for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC)," a White House Office of Management and Budget spokesperson wrote in an email to WRAL News. "Funds will be released to the states. Guardrails have been put in place to ensure these funds are not used in violation of Executive Orders."

WRAL News has asked what the guardrails are and if reviewers found any issues with North Carolina's programs. The Office has cited concerns with funding in other states benefitting organizations that advocate for unauthorized immigrants.

Earlier this week, North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and attorneys general from two dozen other states sued the administration over the halt of the funding that they said Congress had specifically appropriated to states.

The Trump administration has canceled other education grant funding for North Carolina's K-12 schools and colleges earlier this year, but unlike the latest move, those grants had been given to relatively few schools. The most recent action paused funding that went to every school system in the state and nearly every public charter school.

It prompted 10 Republican U.S. Senators to write a letter this week to the Office of Management and Budget calling for the release of the funds, which total more than $6 billion nationwide.

In North Carolina, the funds support more than 900 jobs.

Last week, the Wake County Public School System announced a 90-day hiring freeze for any positions supported by the funds. Officials are weighing whether to make cuts in the coming weeks.