Providence, RI – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) today issued the following statement after the Education Department announced it will release nearly $6 billion in federal education funding, after unfreezing approximately $1.3 billion earlier this week:
“This completely unnecessary and illegal freeze disrupted many districts’ back to school plans. I hope the Trump administration has learned that any effort to punish children and teachers will not fly.”
Whitehouse had pushed for the release of the funding alongside school districts, teachers, unions, parents, education advocates, and Senators from both side of the aisle.
Close to $30 million of the frozen funds were awarded to Rhode Island and slated to go out to local school districts on July 1. Without the funding, local schools would have been forced to end afterschool programs, specialized literacy programs, educator training, and support for English language learners. The Trump administration had announced the freeze on June 30, just one day before the funding was legally obligated by Congress to be distributed to states.
