Trump administration pulls $42M from Michigan schools for pre-approved projects, state says

(FOX 2) - The federal education department has pulled back more than $40 million in funds that were destined for more than two dozen Michigan school districts, the state said.

According to the Michigan Department of Education, the Trump Administration altered a deadline to request reimbursement for projects that had already been approved.

Big picture view:

A news release from the MDE's state superintendent on Monday announced that just after 5 p.m. on March 28, education departments around the country received a notice from the U.S. Department of Education about a change in reimbursement policy.

School districts that had received permission to submit delayed requests for late reimbursement for pre-approved projects will no longer receive the money.

That's because the deadline for those requests was moved from March 28, 2026, to March 28, 2025, with the notice arriving just after the deadline was retroactively moved up. 

The money, totaling nearly $42 million, would have been spent on the heating, ventilation, windows, air conditioning, and other building infrastructure for 27 different districts, the news release sent Monday said.

Dig deeper:

School districts applying for the money had already received approval from the U.S. Education Department. 

But in the letter sent by Sec. Linda McMahon, which was included in the MDE's email, the department said it would be changing the deadline by moving it up a year.

The letter said the extension for those requesting the money "was not justified" because the department and school districts had "ample time" to request the money.

But according to state Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice, "walking back a federal commitment to pandemic relief funds…is unacceptable."

"Twenty-seven districts across the state have preapproved financial obligations that met criteria set by the U.S. Department of Education for extending the districts’ deadlines to request reimbursement of these funds. Instead, Secretary McMahon and the Trump Administration abruptly withdrew approval."

The contracts that the districts signed on to included an understanding that the pre-approved projects "would be reimbursed by the federal government."

Without assistance, the MDE says the school districts will be forced to foot the bill for the projects by either spending from their savings or reducing current costs.

Who is Impacted?:

The bulk of the money would have come from the American Rescue Plan, while another $1.9 million would come from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations.

The state included a breakdown of what districts will be impacted:

• Battle Creek Public Schools - $3,389,571.43
• Benton Harbor Area Schools -$4,579,396.00
• Bridgeport-Spaulding Schools - $543,527.85
• Brighton Area Schools - $1,190,714.15
• Chandler Park Academy - $1,017,396.45
• Flint City School District - $15,603,029.05
• Hamtramck School District - $7,248,920.00
• Lincoln Park School District - $1,394,178.42
• Pontiac School District - $3,294,052.23
• Port Huron Area Schools - $497,205.00
• Reed City Area Schools - $58,469.00
• Woodhaven-Brownstown Schools - $1,253,299.63
• Adrian Public Schools - $7,281.00
• Carman-Ainsworth Comm. Schools - $234,818.00
• Grandville Public Schools - $24,545.11
• Greenville Public Schools - $24,022.00
• Insight School of Michigan - $33,363.00
• Marquette Area Public Schools - $9,912.14
• Marysville Public Schools - $367,159.00
• Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy - $79,928.00
• Northville Public Schools - $62,650.00
• River Rouge, City School District - $28,772.00
• Royal Oak Schools - $44,398.00
• Van Buren Public Schools - $90,000.00
• Wayland Union Schools - $66,135.00
• West Bloomfield School District - $734,015.00
• Whiteford Agricultural School District - $98,143.00

What they're saying:

Rice added in the news release that "a change in administrations should not void previous commitments."

The State Board of Education President Dr. Pamela Pugh called the move by the Trump administration an "affront to me that the U.S. Department of Education would walk back its commitment to projects that protect the health and safety of our students—including for schools in communities such as Flint, Pontiac, and Benton Harbor that were hit especially hard by COVID-19."

She added "to cancel funding approval on no notice and to tell districts that they may apply for a second approval from the U.S. Department of Education to access these funds, with different criteria, has nothing to do with service to schoolchildren."