AACTE Urges Release of $6.2 Billion in Federal K-12 Funding
(July 1, 2025, Washington, DC) — joins colleagues in elementary and secondary education, including AASA, The School Superintendents Association, in calling for the release of $6.2 billion in already appropriated funding for K-12 schools.
, school districts around the country have built their budgets assuming funds — which were appropriated by Congress and typically released before July 1 — would be available when the school fiscal year begins. On June 30, states were notified by the U.S. Department of Education that “decisions have not yet been made concerning submissions and awards for this upcoming academic year,” with no date provided for if or when states would receive these funds.
“Without the immediate release of these funds, schools around the country will be forced to lay off personnel, cut programs, and make other devastating and unnecessary cuts,” said AACTE President & CEO Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, Ph.D. “We join our K-12 colleagues in calling for the Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget to fulfill its obligation and make these funds available, and we call on Congress to hold the administration accountable for implementing the funding decisions that are its constitutional prerogative.”
As the leading voice on educator preparation, AACTE is especially concerned about this issue because of its impact on the current and prospective educator workforce. By destabilizing schools and forcing personnel cuts, this action will make it more difficult to attract and retain the highly qualified educators all students need and deserve.
For more information on the fiscal impact by state of these cuts, the Learning Policy Institute has published an
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Established in 1948, AACTE is the leading voice in educator preparation. AACTE’s member institutions and programs prepare the greatest number of professional educators in the United States and its territories, including teachers, counselors, administrators, and college faculty. These professional educators are prepared for careers in PK-12 classrooms, colleges and universities, state and governmental agencies, policy institutes, and non-profit organizations. Learn more at .