PHOENIX – Attorney General Kris Mayes today secured an agreement requiring the Trump Administration to release the full balance of remaining education funding at issue in a multistate lawsuit by no later than October 3, 2025.
"I'm glad to dismiss one of the twenty-five lawsuits I've had to file against the Trump administration for breaking the law and essentially stealing from the people of Arizona, like in this case, funding for our public schools," said Attorney General Mayes. "If the President stops acting like he's above the law and harming Arizonans, these lawsuits will stop accordingly. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like he's stopping."
Last month, Attorney General Mayes joined a coalition in suing the Trump Administration over its unconstitutional, unlawful, and arbitrary decision to freeze funding for six longstanding programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education just weeks before the school year was set to start. In Arizona, approximately $132 million in federal education funding was frozen, jeopardizing key programs for after school and summer learning, teacher preparation, and to support students learning English. Days later, the Trump Administration released the first tranche of funding that had previously been withheld. The multistate coalition and the Trump Administration today jointly filed to dismiss the case under the terms of an agreement that ensures the remaining funding is released on time, providing Arizona and the multistate coalition with the full relief they had sought in the lawsuit.
BACKGROUND
On June 30, the Trump Administration abruptly and unlawfully froze funding for six longstanding programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education. For decades, Arizona and other states have used funding under these programs to carry out a broad range of programs and services, including educational programs for migrant children and English learners; programs that promote effective classroom instruction, improve school conditions, and support the use of technology in the classroom; community learning centers that offer students a broad range of opportunities for academic and extracurricular enrichment; and adult education and workforce development efforts.
On July 14, Attorney General Mayes joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general and two states in filing a lawsuit and motion for a preliminary injunction, arguing that the freeze violates federal funding statutes and regulations authorizing these critical programs and appropriating funds for them, federal statutes governing the federal budgeting process, and the constitutional separation of powers doctrine and the Presentment Clause.
On August 1, Arizona received notice from ED that beginning the week of July 28, 2025, ED would begin releasing previously impounded federal funds for the current federal and education fiscal year. Arizona subsequently received Grant Award Notifications confirming that the entirety of the funds that ED was required to make available to the states on July 1 had been released.
A copy of the motion to dismiss with stipulations is available here.
