Education Funding Wins Back $132 Million in Frozen School Funds AG Mayes Praises Success

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes reached an agreement Monday with the Trump administration to release $132 million in education funding that had been frozen since June.

"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." Kris Mayes emphasized in her press release. 

The settlement ends a lawsuit filed by Arizona and 22 other states, which challenged the federal government's decision to withhold the money just weeks before the school year began. Under the agreement, all remaining education funds will then be released to Arizona by October 3. 

Victory for Schools

The restored funding supports critical programs across Arizona's education system. The money pays for services helping English language learners, after-school and summer programs, teacher preparation courses, and classroom technology upgrades.

"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," Mayes said.

Timeline of the Case

The dispute began on June 30 when the federal Department of Education suddenly froze funding for six long-standing programs. 

These programs have operated for decades and serve some of Arizona's most vulnerable student populations, including migrant children and students still developing English skills.

Arizona schools heavily rely on federal funding to operate community learning centers that offer academic support and extracurricular activities outside of regular school hours. The funding also supports adult education programs and workforce development efforts throughout the state.

Mayes joined the national coalition on July 14, arguing the funding freeze violated federal law and constitutional principles. 

The states claimed the administration lacked authority to withhold money that Congress had already approved and appropriated for education programs.

Partial Release and Full Settlement

Facing legal pressure, federal officials began releasing some of the frozen funds in August. Arizona received notice on August 1 that the Department of Education would start distributing previously withheld money.

However, the full resolution came only through Monday's settlement agreement, which guarantees the complete restoration of funding by early October. The deal gives Arizona and other states exactly what they intended in their original lawsuit.

The settlement enables schools to move forward with their planned programs without worrying about sudden budget cuts or program cancellations that could impact thousands of students statewide.