State Of Connecticut Secures Major Win as U.S. Education Department Restores Previously Withheld Funding

Press Releases

08/05/2025

State Of Connecticut Secures Major Win as U.S. Education Department Restores Previously Withheld Funding

(Hartford, CT) — Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and Governor Ned Lamont today responded to official confirmation that the U.S. Department of Education has released previously withheld education funding to Connecticut. Connecticut joined a coalition in filing a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s abrupt and unlawful decision to freeze this funding in July.

“Although the Trump Administration has reversed its unconstitutional, unlawful, arbitrary decision to freeze over $53 million for Connecticut schools, these funds should never have been frozen in the first place. While students and teachers prevailed today, this reversal does not undo all the long-term chaos, uncertainty and damage the Administration has inflicted on our schools and communities,” said Attorney General Tong.

“One of the most important things we can do as a nation is to create more opportunities for children through strong funding for K-12 education and we are relieved those funds will now be released ahead of the upcoming school year. Unlike the federal government, in Connecticut we distribute our grants on time to provide the predictability our schools count on. We’re also doing our part to lift students up, reduce absenteeism through investments in the LEAP program, increasing support for special education, and hope the White House will keep doing their part too,” said Governor Lamont

BACKGROUND

On June 30, the Trump Administration abruptly and unlawfully froze funding for six longstanding programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) just weeks before the school year is set to start. For decades, Connecticut and other states have used funding under these programs to carry out a broad range of programs and services, including educational programs for migrant children and English learners; programs that promote effective classroom instruction, improve school conditions and the use of technology in the classroom; community learning centers that offer students a broad range of opportunities for academic and extracurricular enrichment; and adult education and workforce development efforts. In Connecticut, an estimated $53 million in federal education funding was frozen, with many ongoing summer learning programs left immediately unfunded.

On July 14, Attorney General Tong joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general and two states in filing a lawsuit and motion for a preliminary injunction, arguing that the freeze violates federal funding statutes and regulations authorizing these critical programs and appropriating funds for them, federal statutes governing the federal budgeting process, and the constitutional separation of powers doctrine and the Presentment Clause.

On July 25, the Connecticut State Department of Education (SDE) received notice from ED that beginning the week of July 28, 2025, ED would begin releasing previously impounded federal funds for the current federal and education fiscal year. Earlier this week, on July 30, the SDE received Grant Award Notifications confirming that the entirety of the funds that ED was required to make available to the states on July 1 is being released.

The State of Connecticut is committed to defending educational institutions and students against the Trump Administration’s illegal attacks. In addition to the lawsuit challenging the freeze of $53 million in funds due to Connecticut schools, Attorney General Tong has filed lawsuits challenging the mass firings and dismantling of the Education Department; unlawful conditioning of K-12 education funding; and the discontinuation of school mental health grant funding.

Twitter: @AGWilliamTong

Facebook: CT Attorney General

Media Contact:

Elizabeth Benton
elizabeth.benton@ct.gov

Consumer Inquiries:

860-808-5318
attorney.general@ct.gov