Democratic AGs sue Trump for pausing $6.8B in K-12 grants, citing harm to schools as new year nears.

Attorneys General File Suit Over Abrupt Federal Funding Pause

More than twenty Democratic attorneys general announced a sweeping lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday, challenging the Department of Education’s abrupt freeze of $6.8 billion in K-12 education funds. The legal action, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, was filed just weeks before the start of the new school year and targets a decision that education leaders say has already caused chaos for school districts across the United States.

The controversy began on June 30, when the Department of Education paused distribution of federal grants previously approved by Congress and scheduled for release on July 1. While the Department referenced the need to align spending with presidential priorities, it did not provide a clear reason for the funding halt, redirecting questions to the Office of Management and Budget.

Bonta, speaking to reporters alongside AGs from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Colorado, described the freeze as a “devastating blow” to critical state learning programs, including centers for migrant education, tutoring initiatives, and adult literacy courses. “It’s unconscionable, unlawful, and can’t go unchecked, and it won’t,” Bonta said, arguing the halt jeopardizes hiring, budgeting, and contracts just as public schools finalize preparations for the upcoming academic year.

Officials warned that some programs have already been forced to close due to the loss of federal support, and that the freeze injects long-term uncertainty into public education. “Thoughtful, strategic budgets, staffing plans, and contracts for the upcoming school year hang in the balance,” Bonta explained. The legal complaint alleges the freeze violates both the Constitution and the Impoundment Control Act, which bars presidents from withholding funds approved by Congress without proper notice and procedures.

States Cite Immediate Harm and Legal Violations

The frozen funds include $2 billion for teacher development and education programs, $1 billion in academic enrichment grants supporting STEM and accelerated learning, and hundreds of millions for adult literacy and after-school programs. The 21st Century Community Learning Center, for example, relies on federal grants to operate roughly 10,000 after-school and summer initiatives for students nationwide.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha likened the situation to a classic children’s cartoon: “It is impossible for states to effectively budget for an upcoming school year when the president takes the football away from us like Lucy in a Charlie Brown cartoon.” He added, “When this happens, as it’s happened before, we’re going to bring actions, and frankly, we’re going to win.”

According to Bonta, this lawsuit is just the latest in a series of legal challenges against Trump’s executive actions, with Democratic-led states filing 31 lawsuits in the first 25 weeks of Trump’s second term, including eight focused on education. The AGs argue the current funding pause is part of a broader pattern of the administration seeking to circumvent congressional intent.

As schools scramble to adjust budgets and staffing with the first day of class approaching, the outcome of this lawsuit could determine whether critical learning programs are restored in time for millions of students. The case underscores the ongoing clash between state leaders and the Trump administration over control of federal education dollars and the power of the executive branch to shape policy at the local level.