Update: On July 25, 2025, the Department of Education announced that they will be releasing the remaining withheld funding, ending a month of uncertainty and contingency planning.
This article has been updated to include more up-to-date figures, including California’s estimated share of frozen funds, and federal programs that seem to be unaffected by the funding freeze.
In an abrupt move on June 30th, the Trump Administration froze more than $6.8 billion in Federal K–12 funding that was set to be distributed to states on July 1st. These are dollars that Congress approved and the President signed off on in March of this year. The hold affects multiple programs designed to support student success, including Title I‑C (migrant education), Title II‑A (teacher professional development), Title III‑A (English learner services), Title IV‑A (academic enrichment), and Title IV‑B (after‑school learning). California’s share is estimated to be $1 billion according to a press release from State Superintendent Tony Thurmond.
Impact for Rim
Rim of the World Unified School District (ROWUSD) was anticipating to receive more than $250,000 in federal funding for 2025–26 that fall under these categories:
| Program | SACS Resource Code | Rim’s Estimated Amount for 2025–26 | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title II-A: Supporting Effective Instruction | 4035 | $128,699 | Teacher and staff professional development |
| Title III-A: English Learner Program | 4203 | $33,937 | Support services for English learners |
| Title IV-A: Student Support & Academic Enrichment | 4127 | $93,557* | Well-rounded education, safety, mental health, tech |
| Title I-C: Migrant Education | 3060 | $0 | No allocation anticipated this year |
| Title IV-B: Child Welfare Funds | 4124 | $0 | No allocation anticipated this year |
These funds were scheduled to be released to states on July 1st, but with the freeze now in effect, districts like Rim are left in limbo as to whether or not they will be able to access the funding before the school year begins in August.
Trustee Zarate, representing the areas of Running Springs, Arrowbear Lake, and Green Valley Lake, said of the funding freeze:
“The reality is that this move undermines the relationship between local education agencies and the federal government. If we cannot count on a good faith partner at every level of government, it creates unfair uncertainty for our staff and our communities. While we can debate it, the truth is that this action has tangible impacts and in the end, it hurts our mission to serve every student of the Rim of the World Unified School District.”
What Comes Next
The education sector is abuzz with conversation regarding the freeze. You can expect legal action to take place quickly from states and school groups; these lawsuits could bring potential injunctions while they make their way through the courts.
The preservation of these funds — along with all other Federal Title programs — was part of the 2025–26 Advocacy Platform that the Rim Board of Education adopted in June. The specific advocacy area is below, with relevant sections in bold. Read the full adopted 2025–26 Rim Advocacy Platform here.
1. Full and Fair Ongoing Funding
Robust, stable funding is crucial for ROWUSD, given our rural, mountainous geography and the higher operational expenses that come with it. These expenses include disproportionate costs for transportation, special education, and staffing. Additionally, declining enrollment in rural regions further compounds financial strain, necessitating every dollar stretch further. We support policies that:
- Promote local control of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) as local entities understand local needs.
- Ensure annual full Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) and increase base funding.
- Build upon success of SB 1429 (2023, sponsored by ROWUSD) by creating rural-specific funding formulas and disaster contingency funding to address higher costs from geography, enrollment shifts, and natural events, recognizing the higher per-student costs due to geography and service needs.
- Provide special consideration and supplemental funding for districts facing significant impacts from natural disasters, particularly severe snowstorms.
- Implement an LCFF add-on for rural school districts to address inequities in the LCFF.
- Protect & enhance federal funding streams including but not limited to: Title I, II, III, IV, and Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act.
Other Federal Programs Unaffected as of Now
The largest sources of Federal funding seem to remain unaffected at the moment. This includes the main portion of Title I funding for low income student support & services and IDEA for special education support & services. While IDEA remains far below the threshold promised in the law, it has not been impacted by the funding freeze.
2025–26 Budget Discussions
This is part of an ongoing series covering the implications of the 2025–26 budget on our local schools in Rim of the World Unified School District. Read more articles in the series now.