Public officials from 16 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Thursday, demanding the reinstatement of pandemic-era relief funding for schools.
The officials argue that the Education Department’s sudden withdrawal of hundreds of millions in promised aid will severely impact essential student services.
The suit, lodged in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, was spearheaded by New York Attorney General Letitia James and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, both Democrats, according to AP’s report. It claims the administration’s decision violates federal law, as it rescinds previous commitments allowing states to use the funds through March 2026.
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Late last month, the Education Department notified states that it would no longer honor the deadline extensions originally granted under the Biden administration. These extensions were meant to provide schools more time to utilize the final portions of COVID-19 relief funds, initially approved by Congress to mitigate the pandemic’s toll on education. Schools were expected to exhaust the funds by January, but many had already received permission to extend spending.
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In announcing the policy reversal, Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated that districts had “ample time” to disburse the funds, though the department would still consider extension requests for specific projects. The agency did not clarify how much of the $189 billion total in approved aid remains unspent.
According to a statement from James’ office, New York alone has lost access to $134 million. These funds were earmarked for critical school upgrades, including building repairs, updated library collections, playground installations, and accessible transportation like wheelchair-equipped buses.
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Many districts also relied on the aid to fund tutoring programs, services for homeless students, and other initiatives targeting learning gaps caused by prolonged school closures.
“The Trump administration’s latest attack on our schools will hurt our most vulnerable students and make it harder for them to thrive,” James said. “Cutting school systems’ access to vital resources that our students and teachers rely on is outrageous and illegal.”
The lawsuit is supported by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, and the District of Columbia.
