Jul. 11—Schools statewide have been advised not to expect funding for professional development, certain teacher positions, class size reduction and English language learners for the 2025 — 26 school year, creating challenges for local school districts.
Last week the U.S. Department of Education announced that more than $6 billion in congressionally approved federal funding for education grants would be withheld. The freeze comes as programs using the funding are reviewed to ensure alignment with President Donald Trump’s policy goals.
In 2024, Alabama schools received nearly $90 million through this funding, according to Learning Policy Institute.
“It was definitely a shock,” said Athens City Schools Supervisor of Federal Programs and Learning Support Jennifer Sallee. “A lawyer had told us that these funds had already been budgeted and approved by Congress.”
At a meeting in April, a lawyer from Bruman Group, a law firm specializing in federal grants, said that schools shouldn’t worry about the 2025 — 26 school year, but they should be concerned for the following year.
“It just kind of came out of left field because we didn’t think it was possible,” Sallee said.
The grants go toward professional development, before- and after-school programs, English language acquisition, migrant education and more. Sallee said the State Superintendent of Education Eric Mackey informed schools that they shouldn’t count on Title II or Title III being disbursed. Other funding remains uncertain.
According to the State Department of Education, “The purpose of Title II, Part A is to increase the academic achievement of all students by helping schools and districts improve teacher and principal quality and effectiveness.”
The purpose of Title III funding “is to ensure that limited English proficient students, including immigrant children and youth, develop English proficiency and achieve academic success.”
For Athens City Schools, Title II and Title III alone accounted for over $200,000 in funds allocated for the upcoming school year’s budget. The money partially or fully funds five teacher positions and helps serve English learners, who make up 12% of the school system’s population, or around 700 students.
Sallee said the alternative to using this federal funding would be to rely on local funding, which is already stretched thin. Athens City Schools will need to examine areas where it could cut expenses to maintain critical programming.
“We definitely care about class size, so anything that’s going to directly impact instruction for students is always going to come first, but if we have additional things, like if there was something we wanted to do material-wise, like purchase more supplies or something, then that might have to give way to prioritize personnel,” Sallee said.
If funding doesn’t get approved, the next step would be for the administration to meet and examine financial priorities.
Decatur City Schools previously said it would lose $600,000 if none of the Title II and Title III funding is disbursed. Third Street and Oak Park Boys and Girls Club locations in Decatur previously said that they would lose $200,000 if none of the federal funding is provided.
“Many of these grant programs have been grossly misused to subsidize a radical leftwing agenda,” the U.S. Office of Management and Budget said in a statement justifying the nationwide freeze.
Morgan County Schools Superintendent Tracie Turrentine said the district is also in the process of looking at how to continue crucial programs.
“We are developing contingency plans to ensure core services are maintained, even if federal funds do not come through,” Turrentine said in an email. “To address any funding shortfalls, we will need to rely on local funds. However, our priority is to avoid immediate staff reductions and to protect the programs most critical to student success.”
Hartselle City Schools Superintendent Holly Sutherland said the district isn’t as affected by the funding freeze as other schools may be. Still, it could lose $79,000 in Title III funding, which went toward one teacher position used to reduce class sizes.
“It is impactful. It does tighten our purse strings just a little bit, but at the same time, we will continue to find ways to make sure that our class sizes are as small as possible and we are serving students as best as we can,” Sutherland said.
Hartselle City Schools was able to absorb the lost funds through attrition, but Sutherland her district is fortunate that it relies less on Title funding than other districts.
— GraciAnn.Goodin@DecaturDaily.com or 256-340-2437