More than $6.2 billion in federal education funds — approved under the FY2025 budget and scheduled for release on July 1 — remains frozen. The Trump Administration insists this is part of an “ongoing review,” but to the parents, teachers, and students staring down the first day of school without the support they were promised, it looks more like sabotage. The longer these funds remain impounded, the deeper the damage — not just to school budgets, but to the futures of children across the country. And while the crisis is national, the impact in Maryland is particularly acute.
Maryland is still waiting on nearly 14% of its federally allocated education funds. With the fiscal year ending September 30, the clock is ticking, and critical programs are in limbo. These aren’t fringe initiatives. These are core supports that make our schools functional, fair, and forward-looking. Among the programs affected are the Migrant Education Program (Title I, Part C); Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II, Part A); English Language Acquisition Grants (Title III, Part A); Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV, Part A); and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV, Part B). Taken together, they provide essential scaffolding for Maryland’s public schools — supporting the students who need it most and driving the goals of the state’s most ambitious education reform in decades.
Maryland’s Blueprint on Hold?
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is a 10-year statewide investment plan to deliver a public education system that actually meets the needs of today’s students. It significantly increases funding and accountability across every school district in Maryland, while targeting those resources toward proven strategies: expanding early childhood education, hiring and retaining excellent and diverse teachers, preparing every student for college or a career, and giving schools the extra support they need to meet the needs of students who are English learners, low-income, or have disabilities. In short, the Blueprint is Maryland’s answer to decades of underinvestment in public schools — and the state’s best shot at closing achievement gaps that have persisted for generations.
But that vision is now under threat.
Assessing the Fallout on Key Education Initiatives
One of the Blueprint’s core goals is to deliver greater support to students who need it most, including English learners, low-income students, and those receiving special education services. The Migrant Education Program (Title I, Part C), which was set to receive $200,000 before the end of the fiscal year, directly supports this mission. These funds provide continuity of education to children whose families relocate seasonally for agricultural or fishing work. Without these funds, these students risk falling further behind, and the Blueprint’s promise of equity rings hollow.
The effort to elevate teacher quality is also on the line. The Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (Title II, Part A) are designed to ensure that every classroom is led by a well-prepared, high-quality educator. Maryland was set to receive $30.4 million in Title II funding this year, which would support recruitment pipelines, professional development, and teacher retention strategies — all essential to addressing chronic educator shortages and building a more diverse teaching workforce. Without this funding, districts will be forced to make cuts where they can least afford them.
English Language Acquisition Grants (Title III, Part A) are also frozen, with $16.3 million now out of reach. English learners currently make up roughly 12% of Maryland’s K-12 student population. These students need additional support — especially when it comes to reading and language development. The Blueprint sets a clear benchmark: Every child will read on grade level by the end of third grade. But without targeted investment, that goal is a mirage for thousands of English learner students across the state.
Then there’s the issue of whole-child support — everything from mental health to digital literacy to STEM enrichment. The Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants (Title IV, Part A) are supposed to help schools deliver on these needs, but Maryland is now short $26.4 million in those funds. These aren’t luxury programs. They’re the programs that help kids feel safe, supported, and ready to learn.
Lastly, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (Title IV, Part B) are being left out in the cold. These centers provide afterschool programming that serves tens of thousands of Maryland students — many of whom have no other place to go after the bell rings. With $25.3 million in funding frozen, the state’s already-overwhelmed afterschool network could collapse further. Nearly 390,000 Maryland students already lack access to these programs. Without intervention, that number will grow.
The Clock is Ticking
The bottom line is clear: this isn’t just a bureaucratic slowdown — it’s a direct threat to Maryland’s education system, and it demands more than quiet concern. Each day these funds remain frozen, students are shortchanged, schools are destabilized, and the promises of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future edge closer to collapse. Governor Wes Moore must be more vocal and forceful in defending the Blueprint and publicly challenging this impoundment. In moments like these, leadership requires more than managing from within — it means sounding the alarm and mobilizing public attention to protect the future of Maryland’s children. The state’s congressional delegation should immediately explore legal remedies. If these funds were lawfully appropriated and are now being unlawfully withheld, that may constitute a violation of federal law. Congressional oversight, hearings, and litigation should all be on the table.
At the state level, the Maryland General Assembly must also prepare to act. If the federal government fails to release these funds in time, the legislature should consider a special session to allocate emergency resources — whether through supplemental appropriations or reserve funds — to prevent catastrophic shortfalls. This is not a theoretical crisis. It’s happening now. School districts are finalizing budgets, hiring decisions are being delayed, and essential services are being scaled back. The Blueprint was designed to close opportunity gaps and deliver a 21st-century education to every student in the state. But that promise is only as strong as the political will behind it. Maryland must show it’s willing to fight for its children — with urgency, with clarity, and with the full weight of its institutions.
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