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Trump administration restores public spending data after legal fight

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Friday, August 29th 2025 at 21:20 GMT by

Trump Administration Restores Public School Funding After Years‑Old Cut

In a move that has stunned educators and lawmakers alike, the Trump administration announced last week that it would restore federal funding for public schools that had been earmarked for significant cuts under a previous budget proposal. The decision, issued by the Department of Education in a memo released on March 14, reverses a 2018 plan that would have slashed Title I and Title III funding—programs that provide essential services to low‑income students and support teacher recruitment and development.

The Funding Rollback and Its Reversal

The Department’s 2018 budget draft had proposed a reduction of about $200 million in Title I spending and a cut of roughly $30 million from Title III. Title I, which supports supplemental educational services for students in poverty, accounted for $7.6 billion of federal spending that year; Title III funds teacher training and professional development. The proposed cuts sparked immediate backlash from educators and advocacy groups, who warned that the cuts would jeopardize programs for English‑language learners and low‑income students.

After a wave of lobbying from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the Department reversed its position. In a statement on the Department’s website—linking to a full memo on the Department of Education portal—the administration announced it would re‑allocate $1.8 billion, a 20% increase over the original 2018 allocation, to ensure that schools across the country could continue to support their most vulnerable student populations.

“These funds are critical to ensuring that every child has an equal opportunity to succeed,” Secretary Betsy DeVos said. “We recognize the vital role that federal resources play in supporting low‑income students and in attracting and retaining the best teachers.” Her comments echo the broader narrative that the federal government must shoulder a larger share of the cost of public education, a stance that has been a focal point of policy debates throughout the Trump administration.

Impact on Students and States

The restored funding will benefit more than 3.5 million students in Title I schools nationwide. Under the new arrangement, states will receive the increased Title I dollars through the Department’s “School Improvement and Reform” grant mechanism. The Department has stated that the funding will be phased in over the next two fiscal years to avoid sudden budgetary shocks to state governments, and it will provide technical assistance to help states plan for the increased federal funds and ensure that the money is directed toward the most effective programs.

The policy change also includes a new funding model that incentivizes states to meet specific performance metrics. For example, states that demonstrate significant improvements in student test scores or teacher retention rates will be eligible for additional discretionary funds. The Department set a deadline of July 1 for schools to submit new applications for the increased Title I funding; schools that miss this deadline will be required to apply under the existing framework.

Congressional Reactions

The decision has attracted bipartisan attention. Senator Ron Johnson, chair of the Senate Education Committee, praised the Department for “undoing a decision that would have harmed our most vulnerable students.” He added that the restored funding would “help keep schools on track to meet the Nation’s education goals.” Democratic lawmakers, however, remain cautious. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D‑CT), chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, cautioned that “the Department’s fiscal decisions should not be made in isolation from the broader educational context.”

Contextualizing the Shift

The policy reversal is part of a broader trend by the Trump administration to re‑balance federal spending across the education sector. In a 2017 policy statement, Secretary DeVos said the administration would “focus on improving student outcomes by fostering choice, supporting school improvement, and ensuring that federal funds are used efficiently.” In practice, this has meant a shift away from large, centralized programs and toward more targeted, school‑level initiatives.

The Department’s restored funding comes at a time when many school districts are still grappling with the lingering impacts of the COVID‑19 pandemic. Several states have reported that pandemic‑related disruptions have exacerbated learning gaps, and the Department’s increased Title I budget will help to close these gaps by providing additional resources for after‑school programs, tutoring, and mental‑health services.

Moving Forward

The Department of Education has set a deadline of July 1 to submit new applications for the increased Title I funding. Schools that miss this deadline will be required to apply under the existing framework. The Department is also launching a pilot program in several states to test the new performance‑based funding model.

While critics question the Department’s broader budget priorities, supporters see the move as a positive step toward ensuring that public schools receive the resources needed to succeed in a post‑pandemic world. Whether the restored funding will be enough to offset the earlier cuts remains to be seen, but the decision marks a significant shift in the administration’s approach to federal education spending.

For more details on the policy change, see the Department of Education’s official memo (link) and the accompanying press release on the Department of Education website.