California and Other States Sue Trump Administration Over Clawback of COVID School Funds

Introduction to the Lawsuit

California and a coalition of other states sued Thursday to block the Trump administration’s attempt to take back hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding intended to support the academic recovery of students whose education was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background on the Funding

The previously awarded funding — including more than $200 million for California alone — is currently being used by schools for after-school and summer learning programs, student mental health services, new classroom technology, and other infrastructure needs, all of which would be in danger if the funds are stripped away, California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said in an interview with The Times.

Ongoing Challenges

While the COVID-19 emergency has ended, the negative impacts of school closures and online learning persist, with students across the country lagging behind academically, Bonta said. The Biden administration had granted an extension to use the funds. But Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced last month that the funding would be immediately rescinded because the pandemic is over. Bonta called the action “arbitrary and capricious” and therefore illegal under federal law.

Legal Action

“The Biden administration extended the funding because the funding is not related to just a state of emergency. It’s related to ongoing challenges, like the ongoing mental health challenges that students are facing, that we all know about and that have been well documented, [and] the need to address learning loss,” Bonta said. “It’s a complete fallacy and a red herring to suggest that, since the state of the emergency is over, the funding should end, too.”

Lawsuit Details

California’s lawsuit, which it filed alongside 14 other states and the District of Columbia in federal court in New York, alleges McMahon’s withdrawal of funding violates the Administrative Procedure Act, and calls on the court to preempt serious harm the withdrawal will cause to the states’ students by immediately restoring access to the funds through March 2026.

Reaction from Education Department and School Districts

Neither the Education Department nor the White House immediately responded to a request for comment Thursday. Los Angeles Unified said in a statement that it has “mostly expended” its COVID-related funds, so the Trump administration’s actions “will not significantly impact” it. Other school districts in the L.A. region were unable to comment.

Trump Administration’s Stance

McMahon’s March 28 letter, sent to school districts around the country, was one of the latest moves by the Trump administration to eliminate or claw back federal funding previously allocated to the states — part of a wider effort by the administration to eliminate what it calls waste, fraud, and overspending by a bloated federal government. Trump has directed McMahon to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, and in early March laid off about half of the agency’s employees, which California and other states are also suing to stop.

Congressional Response

Democratic members of Congress — including Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and a handful of House representatives from California — called on McMahon to reverse the decision immediately, saying many districts had received extensions more than six months prior to McMahon’s letter and already allocated the funding. The lawmakers called McMahon’s move an “abrupt and chaotic revision of policy” that was “not helpful to students,” and said they were alarmed by McMahon’s “lack of recognition of the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our nation’s students.”

Ongoing Litigation

Thursday’s lawsuit is the 13th filed against the current Trump administration by Bonta’s office, and not the first based on allegations that the Trump administration has violated the Administrative Procedure Act. Other litigation is also pending against the Education Department. A lawsuit brought by the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates and two parents last month alleges the Trump administration’s hollowing-out of the department has hampered investigations by its Office for Civil Rights into school-based discrimination.

Conclusion

The lawsuit filed by California and other states against the Trump administration over the clawback of COVID school funds highlights the ongoing challenges faced by students and schools in the aftermath of the pandemic. The action by the Trump administration to rescind the funding has been met with criticism from lawmakers and educators, who argue that it will exacerbate the existing learning gaps and mental health issues among students. The outcome of the lawsuit will have significant implications for the education sector and the ability of schools to provide necessary support to their students.

FAQs

• Q: What is the basis of the lawsuit filed by California and other states against the Trump administration?
  A: The lawsuit alleges that the Trump administration’s decision to rescind COVID-19 relief funds for schools violates the Administrative Procedure Act.
• Q: How much funding is at stake for California?
  A: California stands to lose more than $200 million in federal funding intended for academic recovery programs.
• Q: What are the implications of the Trump administration’s decision for schools?
  A: The decision could lead to the cessation of after-school and summer learning programs, student mental health services, and other essential educational initiatives.
• Q: Is this the only lawsuit against the Trump administration related to education?
  A: No, there are other pending lawsuits, including one alleging that the administration’s actions have hindered investigations into school-based discrimination.