Education departments of sixteen states file lawsuits against the department in response to the cancellation of COVID relief funds.
Schools across the nation are in a pickle due to the abrupt end of coronavirus-related financial relief by the U.S. Department of Education. This move, allegedly unlawful, has left more than a dozen Democratic-led states scrambling to provide essential services to their students.
According to recent reports, these states, along with the District of Columbia, have filed a lawsuit against the Education Department, arguing that the sudden withdrawal of funds will only aggravate the already challenging post-pandemic situation for vulnerable students. The lawsuit was filed in the Manhattan-based U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The funding, initially extended through March 2026 under the Biden administration, was intended to help schools and students recover from the long-term impact of COVID-19. The lawsuit asserts that this funding is vital for a wide range of critical education programs and services, including addressing the impact of lost instructional time, students' academic, social, and emotional needs, ensuring school safety, and supporting economically disadvantaged students like homeless children and those in foster care.
The sudden revocation of the relief fund, as stated in the lawsuit, was unexpected and chaotic, causing confusion at schools nationwide. The Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, announced this change in a letter, leading to a funding gap that could potentially cause irreparable harm to states and students.
The Trump administration, however, counters that schools should no longer have access to the fund because "COVID is over." Education Department's deputy assist secretary for communications, Madi Biedermann, commented that the Biden Administration's extension of the deadline for spending the COVID money far beyond the intended purpose was irresponsible, and it's high time for the funds to be returned to taxpayers. She clarified that the Department would consider extensions on an individual project-specific basis, where it can be demonstrated that funds are used to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on student learning.
The lawsuit being opposed by all the attorneys general involved is a sharp contrast to the fact that Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Republican, has joined the lawsuit independently. His state's elected attorney general is a Democrat.
The lawsuit aims to ensure that the Education Department processes pending reimbursement requests and provides a list of all such requests, which have been delayed. These funds are crucial for supporting students, many of whom are still grappleing with the aftermath of the pandemic, including lower academic scores and behavioral health issues.
[1] "Democratic-led states sue Education Department for ceasing access to COVID funds"[2] "Gov. Shapiro joins lawsuit against federal government for education funding"[3] "'Oregon won't be bullied': Oregon joins lawsuit over blocked Education Department funding"[4] "Six things to know about the lawsuit over Education Department funding"
- The Democratic-led states, including the District of Columbia, have filed a lawsuit against the Education Department, asserting that the sudden withdrawal of COVID funds could exacerbate challenges faced by vulnerable students in their recovery from the long-term impact of the pandemic, and seeking the processing of pending reimbursement requests.
- The lawsuit, which also aims to ensure a list of all delayed requests is provided, contains requests for funding essential for a broad spectrum of critical education programs, such as addressing the impact of lost instructional time, students' academic, social, and emotional needs, ensuring school safety, and supporting economically disadvantaged students, like homeless children and those in foster care.
