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Murphy – The U.S. Department of Education has reversed course and released frozen funds – $6.7 billion nationally, $165 million in North Carolina and $740,780 in Cherokee County – after 24 mostly Democratic state attorneys general sued to prevent the cuts.
More than 1,000 educators across North Carolina’s schools would lose their jobs had the cuts gone through. The cuts make up nearly 10% of all of the state’s federal educational funding.
Cherokee County Schools faced cuts amounting to $740,780 that had already been budgeted for the coming school year. Other neighboring counties also faced cuts – $88,933 for Clay County, and $403,681 for Graham County.
While some cuts affected funding in migrant education in some counties, most of Cherokee County’s cuts were in community learning centers ($500,000), supporting effective instruction ($148,110) and student support and academic enrichment ($88,188). Another $4,482 would be cut from English language acquisition classes.
The Department of Education froze the funds while officials there reviewed whether the funding aligned with the Trump administration’s priorities.
N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson and 23 other states sued to prevent the federal government from cutting funds.
“It is good to see the federal government honor its commitment to our students, our educators, and our schools,” he said. “I hope this resolution and the release of funds next week marks a return to the predictable, reliable federal partnership that our schools need to serve students effectively.”
Jackson said public schools across North Carolina, especially in rural areas, need this money to keep teachers in the classroom and keep kids safe while they learn.
“It’s unlawful and unconstitutional for the Department of Education to withhold money that Congress has appropriated,” he said after filing the lawsuit. “I’m going to court to get this money for our students, our schools and North Carolina families.”