Kansas Governor Laura Kelly joins with the governors of 17 other states in demanding the U.S. Department of Education release $6.8 billion in federal education funding.
States were scheduled to receive the Congressionally-appropriated funds starting on July 1. However, on June 30, the federal Department of Education informed states that it would not issue the money due to an internal review.
Kelly called the administration's decision one that would directly harm Kansas schools and students, resulting in a loss of nearly $43 million targeted for K through 12 funding across the state. In a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, the group of governors stated that the refusal to release the funds is causing widespread disruption to planning and operations, potentially forcing program cuts, hiring delays, and service reductions for students most in need.
In addition to Governor Kelly, governors from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Maine, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin all signed onto the letter.
