Grand Rapids, Michigan — Public officials from 16 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Thursday, demanding the restoration of critical pandemic relief funds for schools. The lawsuit, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, claims that the administration’s decision to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in promised funding is unlawful and will severely impact essential services in schools across the country.
The case, filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, accuses the Education Department of violating federal law by reversing a prior decision to extend the deadline for spending COVID-19 relief funds. The department had initially allowed states to use the funds through March 2026, but last month, the Education Department informed states that the deadline would no longer be extended. Schools had been granted extra time to use the remaining relief money, which was approved by Congress to help schools recover from the disruptions caused by the pandemic.
In a statement explaining the reversal, Education Secretary Linda McMahon argued that schools had “ample time” to use the funds, although individual project extensions would still be considered. The department did not specify how much of the total $189 billion allocated for COVID-19 relief remains unspent.
New York’s portion of the funding was particularly impacted, with the state losing access to $134 million. These funds had been designated for a variety of uses, including repairs and upgrades to school buildings, the purchase of library books, playground equipment, and even wheelchair-accessible buses. The funds also supported programs aimed at helping homeless students and provided tutoring services for students who fell behind due to missed classroom time.
Attorney General James expressed frustration over the impact of the administration’s decision, particularly on vulnerable students. “The Trump administration’s latest attack on our schools will hurt our most vulnerable students and make it harder for them to thrive,” James said in a press release. “Cutting school systems’ access to vital resources that our students and teachers rely on is outrageous and illegal.”
In addition to New York, the lawsuit was supported by the attorneys general of 15 other states: Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, and the District of Columbia.
Education advocates and school officials across the nation have voiced concerns that the administration’s actions could force districts to make deep cuts to vital programs, including those targeting academic recovery and support for students facing homelessness. As the legal battle unfolds, state officials are urging the court to compel the Trump administration to restore access to the much-needed relief funds, emphasizing the critical role these resources play in helping schools recover from the pandemic’s lasting effects.
