Arizona’s educational landscape saw a collective sigh of relief as the federal government decided to resume the flow of grant funding previously put on hold. The pause on $124 million, amounting to about one percent of the total school funding in the state, had caused a stir among educators and parents alike, but State schools chief Tom Horne remained unsurprised by the resumption. “The release of federal funds that were being reviewed by the Trump administration is good news and no surprise to me,” Horne said, as reported by the Arizona Department of Education.
Horne had maintained, even as the funds were withheld for review, that the government was simply ensuring their proper use, “not for ideological purposes.” He aimed to put minds at ease, suggesting the review was a procedural step rather than a herald of cuts. “When the pause occurred, a lot of people panicked thinking the money would go away entirely. I said at the time that this was merely a pause for review and that is exactly what happened,” he asserted.
Now, with the funding block lifted, Horne indicated that the Arizona Department of Education staff will be expeditiously working to distribute the funds. There’s an understanding that the injected funds will continue to support academic goals, backing away from any perception of “social indoctrination” that might have been a concern.
“People need to be assured that their education tax dollars are being used to advance academic goals and not social indoctrination,” Horne added, detailing his perspective on the importance of transparency and the adherence to academic intentions with the funding. This approach, he hopes, will clarify the aims and alleviate any concerns surrounding the use, and ultimate purpose, of these federal funds in Arizona’s education system.
