Rep. Jim Costa Presses Trump Administration to Release Federal Funds for Valley School Districts

WASHINGTON – Congressman Jim Costa and the California Democratic Congressional Delegation are demanding that the Trump Administration immediately release nearly $7 billion in federal funding already appropriated by Congress for K-12 schools and adult education, including $928 million owed to California.

California stands to lose more than $811 million, accounting for 16.5% of its total federal allocation. Local school districts like Fresno Unified School District will lose up to $7.1 million, while Visalia Unified faces potential losses of $2 million. 

“These programs support some of the most vulnerable and underserved students and communities in California and have been demonstrated to have lifelong benefits to students’ educational attainment, income, and other measures of well-being. Each passing day that these funds are unlawfully withheld hurts our schools and students and strains already limited budgets,” wrote the members. “In California alone, the Trump Administration’s funding freeze is affecting hundreds of thousands of students and educators. For many of California’s school districts, this funding had already been accounted for in school budgets for the upcoming school year. Now, our schools are being forced to delay hiring and reduce resources to help students.”

BACKGROUND
As the new school year approaches, the Trump Administration announced on June 30, 2025, just one day before the expected disbursement, that nearly $7 billion in federal funding for K–12 schools would be indefinitely frozen. These Congressionally appropriated funds are typically distributed to states on July 1.

California is home to nearly 5.8 million K–12 students and is among the hardest hit. The sudden and illegal funding freeze is leaving school districts scrambling to fill massive budget shortfalls just weeks before students return to the classroom. Essential programs are now at risk, including after-school programs, school-based mental health services, accelerated learning and STEM courses, career and college counseling, adult education, and teacher training.

The impact is especially severe for California’s more than one million multilingual learners, who make up nearly a quarter of the state’s public-school population. These funds also provide vital support for English learners and the children of migrant workers, as well as workforce training programs that help families build a better future. 

As part of a broader national effort, Congressman Costa joined over 149 Democratic colleagues in a separate letter demanding that the Trump Administration release the funds without further delay.

The letter is available HERE