Withholding Federal Education Funds Will Have Detrimental Impact on Arizona Students and Workforce Development
Federal education funds, including Title I, II, III, and IV, are lifelines for Arizona schools. Over the years, Arizona’s elected leaders have made a series of policy decisions that have led many rural and neighborhood public schools to have no choice but to rely on these essential funding sources.
Supporting the Students Who Need It Most
These dollars support students from low-income families, English language learners and provides critical programs like before- and after-school care, academic enrichment, migrant education, and educator training. These crucial funds also provide financial assistance to schools, particularly those serving high numbers of children from low-income families, and support specific student populations and vital programs. Title funds have a long history of bipartisan support, first beginning in 1965 under President Johnson with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and recently being reauthorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015. Title funds help to ensure that all students, regardless of their socioeconomic background or unique needs, have the opportunity for high-quality education.
Disruptive Delays Threaten Arizona’s School Year
Last week, school districts across the country received a one-day notice that they would not get their expected payment for some Title funds on July 1st. Many schools in Arizona start classes in the next few weeks, and their budgets anticipated that these funds would be provided in a timely fashion. The lack of notice and funding is incredibly disruptive, leading to uncertainty about whether staffing and programs can continue. The withholding of federal Title grants, specifically for Arizona, is estimated at $118 million (about 12% of the total money Arizona receives from the US Department of Education for K-12 funding for the year) and includes the following:
- Migrant education (Title I-C)
- Educator professional development (Title II-A)
- English language-learner services (Title III-A)
- Academic enrichment (Title IV-A)
- Before- and after-school programs (Title IV-B)
Protect Critical Support for Students Facing the Greatest Barriers
In Arizona, the most vulnerable students, including low-income families, migrant students, and English language learners, are disproportionately impacted. To reiterate, Arizona ranks among the top ten states most dependent on federal funding, and its schools are no exception, relying heavily on these funds to close achievement gaps and provide critical support services.
If Title funds are not received, schools are forced to reduce critical resources like teachers, support staff, tutoring, instructional materials, and educational technology, impacting general academic enrichment and targeted support. Students who already face challenges fall further behind, exacerbating achievement gaps.
The withholding of funds represents not just a financial burden, but a fundamental disruption to student learning, development, and opportunity. In a state like Arizona—where educational attainment is already a key concern and gaps in achievement persist across income, language, and racial lines—this decision threatens to deepen disparities.
Call for the Immediate Release of Federal Education Funds
The immediate release of all allocated federal education funds, including Title I-C, Title II-A, Title III-A, Title IV-A, and Title IV-B, is crucial. These funds are not discretionary luxuries but essential investments in the future of Arizona’s students, the stability of its educational system, and the critical need to build a 21st-century workforce. Prolonged uncertainty or permanent reductions will inflict lasting harm on student learning, deepen educational inequities, and destabilize school districts, making it harder for them to fulfill their mission of providing quality education to all students. Education Forward Arizona knows that the state has Everything to Gain when all students have access to a quality education.