Feds lift education freeze; Idaho will receive nearly $27 million
Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on July 25, 2025
BOISE, ID – The Trump administration Friday released $5.5 billion in federal education funds — nearly a month after a freeze that threw state and local education leaders into tumult.
Friday’s move will free up nearly $27 million for Idaho.
State superintendent Debbie Critchfield hailed the news — and acknowledged the turmoil created by the short-lived freeze.
“This will no doubt be welcome news that comes as a relief to our school leaders,” Critchfield said in a statement. “We appreciate their patience and professionalism over the last few weeks while their school budgets were in limbo.”
The money will move quickly, as schools in Idaho and across the nation prepare to reopen for the fall.
“The agency will begin dispersing funds to states next week,” U.S. Education Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications Madi Biedermann told Chalkbeat Friday.
The Trump administration froze a total of $6.8 billion in education funding on June 30 — targeting a series of federal grants that had already been authorized by Congress. Critics said the freezes would affect programs that serve at-risk students, including migrant children and English language learners.
The administration relented somewhat a week ago, when it released $1.3 billion for before- and after-school and summer programs. Idaho will receive $6.5 million from this 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant program.
But that left four other grant programs on ice, until Friday. Here’s what Idaho stands to receive:
- Professional development and teacher training grants: $10.8 million.
- Migrant education: $7.1 million.
- Student support and academic enrichment, including mental health support, digital literacy and other programs: $6.7 million.
- English language programs: $2.1 million.
The move to release the funding came in the wake of bipartisan pushback, Chalkbeat reported. GOP members of Congress called on the administration to release the money (no members of Idaho’s all-Republican delegation signed this letter.) Democratic attorneys general and governors filed a lawsuit demanding restored funding.
Friday’s reactions took on a political overtone.
Critchfield, a Republican, praised Idaho’s delegation as a whole, and specifically cited Sen. Jim Risch’s “personal engagement in seeking resolution at the federal level.”
Idaho Democratic Party Chairwoman Lauren Necochea accused Idaho GOP leaders of inaction.
“I’m relieved Idaho schools will finally receive the critical federal dollars they were promised, because Democrats in Congress and Democratic attorneys general stepped up and forced the Trump regime to follow the law,” she said in a statement. “Idaho’s Republican delegation and (Attorney General) Raúl Labrador did nothing while our schools were left behind.”