Kentucky joins lawsuit challenging freeze of $96 million in education funding
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — Kentucky is joining 23 other states, plus Washington, DC, in a lawsuit challenging the holdup of millions in congressionally approved dollars.
“This is something that, it probably will go fairly quickly. I think that the courts will recognize that there is an urgent decision to be made, whether they’re going to approve these cuts or not approve these cuts,” FOX 56 News political analyst Jonathan Miller said.
Just weeks before the start of the school year, the Kentucky Department of Education is facing tough choices. $96 million from the US Department of Education was going to be released for Kentucky on July 1, specifically $87 million for KDE to distribute to schools and $9 million for the Education and Labor Cabinet’s adult literacy efforts.
On June 30th, KDE was told that money is on hold and under review, despite it being approved by Congress in March of this year and signed by President Donald Trump.
“There’s an if there. If the USED eventually awards these funds, we’re giving you some options. But again, honestly, you’re rolling the dice. This is a gamble,” KDE Commissioner Dr. Robbie Fletcher told superintendents on a call on July 2.
On Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear, in his office’s capacity, joined several other states in a lawsuit arguing the freeze violates federal statutory and regulatory requirements. In a statement supporting the lawsuit, Fletcher said, “Many of our schools are developing plans to reduce staff, cancel programs, and eliminate student supports if these federal funds are not immediately released to Kentucky.”
“My bet is that the administration retreats, because this is a meat and potatoes issue, a kitchen table issue that people across the country understand, particularly the timing of it, right before school is going to return in a few weeks,” Miller said, suspecting backlash may push the administration to shift its policy before the courts act, similar to how the administration changed some tariff proposals earlier this year.
“I think many folks in Kentucky are hopeful that the same thing happens here, that when you see the real life ramifications of a cut that was done, you know, for some, vague ideological reason, then, you know, it is hopeful that they will listen to these governors and put the money back into the system,” he said.
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