States Battle Trump Administration Over Abrupt Shutdown of Covid School Grants, Leaving Children at Risk
In a high-stakes legal showdown, 16 states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration after it abruptly ended pandemic-era relief grants for K-12 schools—a move they say threatens to derail critical education programs for vulnerable children across the country. At the heart of these lawsuits lies not just a fight over money, but over the educational recovery of millions of children affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta did not mince words: “When the president breaks the law, we sue. And he’s broken the law again, unfortunately, this time harming children in the process.” The lawsuit, joined by states like New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and others, claims that the Department of Education, under Trump appointee Linda McMahon, unlawfully cut off hundreds of millions in Congress-approved grants intended to help students bounce back from pandemic learning loss, mental health struggles, and lack of access to resources.
This dramatic reversal arrived in a March 28 letter from Education Secretary McMahon, ending the flexibility states previously had to spend remaining relief funds until 2026. Instead, most unspent grants were cut off immediately—despite bipartisan congressional intent for the funds to support schools during a long recovery process. “Cutting school systems’ access to vital resources that our students and teachers rely on is outrageous and illegal,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James, noting her own state lost $134 million overnight.
The impact is deeply personal. In Vermont, entire summer education programs have disappeared. Orange Southwest School District Assistant Superintendent Heather Lawler described the cancellation of their five-week summer program as “an absolute shock.” Summer initiatives that offered free instruction, meals, and vital social activities for struggling students are now in jeopardy statewide. “Many of the kids that go there have no other options...instead of going to summer school, they’re going to be at home, probably on their devices,” English teacher Janni Jacobs lamented.
The sudden policy shift was especially jarring after assurances from federal officials that pandemic grants would remain available. Jill Briggs Campbell, Vermont's Deputy Secretary of Education, recalled receiving confirmation just days before the reversal. “So basically, all bets are off,” she told state lawmakers. Districts across Vermont now face budget deficits, halted literacy projects, and uncertainty over whether already-spent funds will be reimbursed.
The multistate coalition argues the administration’s action violated federal law by reversing policy without sufficient explanation, with major consequences for children already facing significant setbacks. The lawsuit also connects the grant cuts to a broader Trump administration campaign against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in education.
As the legal battle heats up, administrators, teachers, and families fear that the United States is risking its future by undermining the very programs meant to help kids recover. “If they’re trying to make America great again and everybody says that the kids are our future, why do you take away programs that directly benefit the kids?” asked Jacobs. It's a question now before the courts—and perhaps, the public at large.
Will these lawsuits restore vital funding and stabilize America’s educational recovery, or is this the start of a longer fight over federal involvement in public schools? We invite readers to share their perspectives and stories in the comments below.
