NJ Secures Restoration of $158 Million in Federal Education Funds

After suing the Trump Administration, New Jersey’s Attorney General forces release of critical dollars for afterschool, summer learning, and special-needs programs

NEW JERSEY — New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin today announced that the U.S. Department of Education has released $158 million in federal aid previously frozen by the Trump Administration, following a lawsuit he joined challenging the funding freeze. This victory restores vital support for afterschool care, summer learning, teacher training, English-learner instruction, special-needs services, and adult education across New Jersey.

On June 30, the Trump Administration abruptly halted payments for six long-standing Department of Education programs that New Jersey relies on to fund a wide array of services—from community learning centers and teacher-effectiveness initiatives to workforce training. The freeze left dozens of summer and afterschool programs without resources mere weeks before students would have benefited.

In response, on July 14, Attorney General Platkin and a coalition of 23 other state attorneys general plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico filed suit in federal court, seeking a preliminary injunction on the grounds that the funding suspension violated federal appropriations statutes, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the Constitution’s separation of powers.

"From the beginning, we have made clear that the President’s attempt to freeze $158 million in critical education funding for New Jersey was illegal and deeply damaging to students, families, teachers, and schools. Now, under pressure from our lawsuit, the Administration has relented,” said Attorney General Platkin. “There is simply no excuse for the Trump Administration’s reckless attempt to claw funding away from afterschool care and summer programs, teacher training programs, and programs for English learners and students with special needs—and we are glad that even the Trump Administration has now recognized that it made a grave mistake in freezing this funding. Make no mistake: we will continue fighting for New Jerseyans and protecting them from this Administration’s reckless and illegal cuts to federal education funding.”

The funds will immediately be distributed to local school districts, nonprofit community-based organizations, and adult-learning providers across the state.

The restored $158 million supports six federal programs that, for decades, have underwritten:

• Afterschool and summer school initiatives serving tens of thousands of New Jersey students;

• Community learning centers offering academic enrichment and extracurricular activities;

• Teacher-preparation and professional-development programs to improve classroom instruction;

• Services for English-language learners and students with disabilities; and

• Adult education and workforce development efforts aimed at improving job readiness.

The July filing argued that the Education Department had no statutory authority to freeze appropriated funds already obligated to states, and that such unilateral action violated federal law. In moving for a preliminary injunction, the coalition underscored the imminent harm to students and educational institutions that planned summer programming and fall-term training on the assumption of continued funding.

This is the latest in a series of legal actions taken by Platkin to defend New Jersey schools against federal overreach. In recent months, he has also filed suits challenging the Administration’s termination of K-12 teacher-preparation funding, its “dismantling” of Department of Education structures, and unlawful conditions imposed on other federal education grants. He has secured the release of tens of millions in pandemic-relief aid and ensured continued support for New Jersey’s recovery from COVID-19 learning disruptions.

With the Department of Education’s confirmation today, local education agencies will receive their full allocations for the current fiscal year. School districts and community partners are already planning to deploy the funds to expand summer offerings, bolster afterschool programming starting this fall, and invest in targeted support for students with the greatest needs. The lawsuit remains pending, and Attorney General Platkin has pledged to see it through to a final judgment, ensuring that no future administration can unilaterally withdraw appropriated education dollars.

By successfully compelling the federal government to unlock $158 million in appropriated education funding, Attorney General Platkin reaffirmed New Jersey’s commitment to protecting its schools from unlawful federal cuts and safeguarding programs essential to student achievement and workforce readiness.