OHIO assessing potential impacts of temporary pause to federal K-12 education funding
ý is actively reviewing a June 30 memo issued by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) stating that certain FY25 federal funds for K-12 schools are temporarily paused until further review to ensure "taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with” President Trump’s priorities.
Reviewing potential impacts
The federal grants under review fund a wide range of educational programs for K-12 schools across the country, including support for summer and after-school programming offered within school districts across Athens and its surrounding counties in partnership with ý’s Kids on Campus program.
The DOE has not provided a resolution timeline and shared that "decisions have not yet been made" on grants for the upcoming school year. This temporary federal funding pause will not impact Kids on Campus’ current summer programming; however, an extended pause will greatly impact its ability to administer and support planned after-school and/or educational programming within each of the school districts it serves after August 15.
Planning future communications
“We fully recognize the vital educational, nutritional and recreational role that summer and after-school programs like Kids on Campus play across our rural communities, and we are working diligently to fully understand the possible short and long-term impacts to both OHIO’s Kids on Campus program and the local communities it serves,” said Dr. John McCarthy, Dean of OHIO’s College of Health Sciences and Professions (CHSP), which administers the grant-funded program. “We are also exploring alternative funding and opportunities for revised approaches should federal funding be eliminated.”
In collaboration with its school district partners, the University will continue to share details as they become available. Community partners can share any immediate questions or concerns by contacting CHSP Executive Director of Community Relations Rebecca Miller at millerr9@ohio.edu.