In a significant legal development, New York Attorney General Letitia James has obtained a court order reversing the Trump administration’s recent actions, resulting in the reinstatement of more than $1 billion in federal education funding. According to a press release, District Court Judge Edgardo Ramos ruled that the funds—designated for low-income and unhoused students, as well as for strengthening the education system in response to the long-term effects of COVID-19—must be restored.
Fifteen attorneys general and the Governor of Pennsylvania, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education after the abrupt suspension of grant access under the American Rescue Plan Act. The move jeopardized essential programs for vulnerable students, with New York alone standing to lose $134 million in funding. “This is a major win for our students and teachers who are counting on this funding to help them succeed,” Attorney General James said in a press release. “I will continue to defend New York’s schools and ensure they get the resources they need to provide a quality education to everyone.”
The contested programs – Homeless Children and Youth (HCY), Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER), and Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools (EANS) – are critical components in the support structure for educational recovery in the post-pandemic era. In New York, the ESSER and EANS funding assists in vital infrastructure investments such as classroom expansions and accessibility improvements for students with disabilities. The abrupt policy change by the U.S. Department of Education, which led to the sudden withdrawal of these funds, would create a substantial budget shortfall affecting both students and educators.
With the preliminary injunction now in effect, the U.S. Department of Education is prohibited from enforcing its prior position that restricted states from using funds provided under the American Rescue Plan Act—a stance outlined in a March 28 communication from Education Secretary Linda McMahon. The legal challenge, led by Attorney General Letitia James, was supported by a coalition that included attorneys general from Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, the District of Columbia, and the Governor of Pennsylvania, all working to safeguard their states’ educational funding.
