Flathead Valley Schools Navigate Federal Education Funding Freeze
Millions in funds meant for Montana have been withheld by the Trump administration, pending a review. The funds impact programs pertaining to teacher training and services for English learners and migrants.
By Mariah Thomas
The full impacts of a funding freeze on federal educational programs related to migrant students, English learners and teacher training remain uncertain, but several Flathead Valley districts are preparing for a short-term hit to their finances should the money stay on pause. School officials also expressed uncertainty about whether the freeze will remain in place pending legal action.
The amount on pause federally hovers at an estimated $5 billion. That figure was previously higher, but dropped following the Trump administration’s release of $1.3 billion in funds for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which provide academic programs and literacy help outside of school hours. Those funds were unfrozen last week.
According to a July 15 email from Montana’s Office of Public Instruction, the freeze includes an estimated $26,377,768 in federal funds earmarked for Montana’s schools. The Montana School Boards Association sent an email to its members last week, which was forwarded to the Beacon, stating the release of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers funds would allow around $6.5 million to flow to Montana.
The funds that remain on pause come through the Migrant Education Program, Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants, English Language Acquisition State Grants and the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program.
The funds, which Congress already approved, are under review due to a change in presidential administration.
Federal dollars supplement school district budgets in Montana, in addition to districts receiving state and local funding. Those federal dollars come mainly from Title funds. Title funds were established through the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 1965. The money from Title funds mainly help support students, though some of it also goes toward building a high-quality educator workforce through professional development opportunities.
Typically, funding would be released July 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year, so districts can plan their budgets for the next academic year. The freeze means districts are uncertain about how much or whether they’ll receive funding from the programs. It also creates a challenge with adjusting budgets accordingly.
Some local districts, like West Valley School, expect a minimal impact should those funds not get doled out.
Richard Gross, West Valley’s superintendent, explained that his school district doesn’t have large numbers of English learners or migrant students. So, West Valley doesn’t receive much money from the programs impacted by the federal funding freeze.
In total, around $40,130 of the district’s budget comes from the affected federal programs.
“It might make us go over a wave, but it wouldn’t sink our boat,” Gross said.
Kalispell Public Schools, whose board discussed the freeze at its latest meeting Tuesday, shares that opinion. Chris Campbell, the district’s director of business services, said the district would take a hit of around $500,000. In the short term, the district can handle a shortfall of that amount, though it’d have to make adjustments.
Campbell said he’d present a budget to the board in August. That presentation will include more information about short-term adjustments the district would make should those funds remain on pause.
For others, the withholding of the funds poses a bigger issue. Laurie Barron, at Evergreen Schools, said her district has $100,500 at risk — a significant amount for her small district.
That figure mainly comes from two paused programs: Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants and the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program. Losing funds from the Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants program means the district won’t be able to provide trainings for staff members.
As for the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program, Barron said the district could lose out on opportunities to provide additional equipment or materials for students.
“It will be impactful,” she said. “We will notice it. We’ll have to make some changes, but we’ll still be able to operate … Of course we will. What else are we going to do? But we’ll have to make choices about where we use our resources.”
Still other superintendents the Beacon reached out to remained uncertain about impacts to their districts from the federal funding freeze.
More than 20 states filed a lawsuit July 14 challenging the administration’s withholding of the funds. Montana was not among them. Campbell, with Kalispell Public Schools, said in part thanks to the pending legal action, he doesn’t feel that anything is final yet with the paused funds.
A spokesperson for Montana’s Office of Public Instruction said the office has been in contact with federal delegates and the Council of Chief State School Officers for funding updates.
“OPI will continue to support districts throughout this process and will keep them informed as new information becomes available,” wrote McKenna Gregg, the office’s communications and policy advisor, on July 15. “We remain committed to assisting districts in navigating any challenges that arise.”
Susie Hedalen, the state’s superintendent of public instruction, wrote in a July 21 email to superintendents that she was “optimistic” remaining funds would become available.
“We will continue to keep you updated as we receive more information from the Department of Education regarding these pending awards,” Hedalen wrote.
Other school districts in the state have responded to the withheld funds by approving spending to make up for the potential shortfalls. Montana Free Press reported Missoula’s school board would spend up to $1 million to cover programs affected by the freeze.