New Jersey Secures Agreement for Release of Frozen Education Funding from Trump Administration

Strategic Insights -

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has secured an agreement with the Trump Administration to release the full balance of remaining education funding that was unlawfully frozen by the Administration. The agreement, reached on the eve of the start of a new school year, will require the release of the remaining funding owed to New Jersey by no later than October 3, 2025. This resolution comes after Attorney General Platkin joined a coalition in suing the Trump Administration over its unconstitutional decision to freeze funding for six longstanding programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Trump Administration had frozen over $158 million in federal education funding for New Jersey, jeopardizing key programs for after-school and summer learning, teacher preparation, and support for students learning English.
  • The multistate coalition and the Trump Administration jointly filed to dismiss the case under the terms of an agreement, ensuring the remaining funding is released on time.
  • The agreement requires the release of the remaining funding owed to New Jersey by no later than October 3, 2025.
  • Attorney General Platkin stated that the resolution was a victory for students, families, and educators across New Jersey, and that the state "will never let this Administration get away with clawing critical federal funding away from our best-in-the-nation education system."
  • The frozen funding affected six longstanding programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education, including educational programs for students with special learning needs and English language learners, summer school and afterschool programs, and programs that train teachers.

Statistics:

  • $158 million: the amount of federal education funding frozen by the Trump Administration for New Jersey.
  • 6: the number of longstanding programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education that had their funding frozen.
  • 23: the number of attorneys general who joined the coalition litigation against the Trump Administration.
  • 2: the number of states in the coalition litigation against the Trump Administration.
  • October 3, 2025: the deadline by which the Trump Administration must release the remaining funding owed to New Jersey.

Sources:

  • [The State of New Jersey, Office of the Attorney General, "New Jersey Secures Agreement for Release of Frozen Education Funding from Trump Administration"](https://www.nj.gov/oag/news-releases/index.html)
  • [The State of New Jersey, Office of the Attorney General, Press Release, August 2023](https://www.nj.gov/oag/news-releases/index.html)