As the new academic year draws closer, Schuylkill County school districts are working to continue educational programs being threatened by the ongoing delay in federal funding.
The U.S. Department of Education announced on June 30 that it would withhold distributing more than $6 billion for school programs, money that had already been approved by Congress in a bill signed by President Donald Trump.
For Pennsylvania, that amounts to $230 million, and in Schuylkill County, it means the loss of more than $100,000 each for school districts that were counting on that money.
Both local and state school officials said that the delay could hurt initiatives that are vital for students, such as after school programs, teacher training and recruitment, adult and family literacy programs, technology purchases and English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction.
School districts, though, are now having to use local taxpayer money to avoid disrupting those programs, officials said.
Late last week, the Department of Education said it will release $1.3 billion in previously withheld grant money for after school programs, days after 10 Republican senators sent a letter imploring the Trump administration to allow frozen education money to be sent to states, the Associated Press reported.
The rest of the money being withheld, close to $5 billion, continues to be reviewed by the federal Office of Management and Budget. That office told the AP that an initial review showed schools used some of the money to support immigrants in the country illegally or promote LGBTQ+ inclusion.
But Schuylkill school administrators spoke this week of how that money is actually being used, and how important it is to local education.
About $150,000 has been delayed for the Tamaqua School District, according to business manager Connie Ligenza, who said anyone viewing those funds as unnecessary should come to the schools to see their worth.
“These programs are incredibly valuable to students,” she said.
For example, almost $88,000 of Tamaqua’s delayed funding is to cover the cost of an elementary school teacher whose hiring allowed the school to reduce class sizes, she said. The district is now trying to find that money elsewhere in its budget.
Other funds are being delayed for ESL instruction for the district, technology purchases for students and teacher development, she said.
While Ligenza said that the delay did not come as a complete surprise due to other recent federal funding changes, it is still difficult for districts to manage after they’ve already approved their local budgets for 2025-26.
Tamaqua strives to avoid tax hikes, she said, but at some point, a millage increase could be necessary to cover the lost funds.
Mahanoy Area has almost $120,000 delayed, but will continue the affected programs this school year since they are so valuable, business manager Jack Hurst said.
That will require some shuffling of local money for programs like English language acquisition, which for Mahanoy Area involved only about 15 students four years ago, but now includes approximately 200 students, according to Hurst.
If the federal funds are not released by next year’s budget, Mahanoy would have to decide whether to alter programs or pass the costs on to local taxpayers.
Further complicating the situation for school districts is the overdue passage of Pennsylvania’s state budget, which could soon result in delays of state education funding, as well.
“It’s kind of a double whammy for us,” Hurst said.
Pottsville School District did not have figures yet on how much of its federal funding is being delayed, but it too will continue the affected programs this year by using money from its general fund reserves, said Dr. Sarah Yoder, superintendent.
Eventually, though, the local tax base will have to account for those funds if the federal money doesn’t arrive, she said.
North Schuylkill School District has about $125,000 in federal funds held up, superintendent Dr. Robert Ackell said.
Services for English Language learners could be among the first areas impacted if the delay continues, he said, and the district is working closely with Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 to help ensure those services continue with as little disruption as possible.
“Our priority is to support our students and maintain the resources they need to succeed, despite the uncertainty surrounding this federal funding,” he said.
“While we do not anticipate immediate disruptions to student learning or staffing, any prolonged delay or permanent reduction would certainly create challenges for planning and budgeting. As with any fiscal uncertainty, we will continue to monitor the situation closely, stay in communication with PDE, and make decisions that prioritize the needs of our students and staff.”
Pennsylvania recently filed another federal lawsuit over the delayed education funding, which Gov. Josh Shapiro said is interfering with the ability of students to succeed.
“Once again, the Trump administration is trying to take away dollars that were committed to Pennsylvania — this time from our schools,” he said in a recent press release announcing the suit, which is co-led by 25 other states and the District of Columbia.
The funds being withheld are typically available for states to begin accessing on July 1 of each year. The Pennsylvania Department of Education released this list of affected programs and estimates of their total impact on educational entities in the state:
- Migrant Education – Estimated $11 million
- Supporting Effective Instruction – Estimated $70 million
- English Language Acquisition – Estimated $20 million
- Student Support and Academic Enrichment – Estimated $55 million
- 21st Century Community Learning Centers – Estimated $54 million
- Adult Education Basic Grants to States – Estimated $20 million
