Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, at the Oregon State Capitol Library in Salem, Oregon, on June 26. (Jordan Gale/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

Oregon’s governor has responded to an unprecedented halt to federal education funding.

The title funding provided by the United States Department of Education is supposed to be released at the beginning of the new fiscal year, on July 1, and is incorporated into the budget of the Oregon Department of Education. On June 30, the White House directed the Department of Education to withhold the education grant funding in the new federal budget until each grant is reviewed. 

These grants and programs include Title I, Part C state grants for migrant education, Title II, Part A state grants that provides federal funding for teacher support and certification and Title IV, Part B grants to create community learning centers at low-income schools. 

“Over multiple federal administration changes, Oregon schools have been able to rely on access to Title awards by July 1 of each year. This partnership between schools and the federal government is crucial to delivering a high-quality, equitable education to all Oregon’s students – especially those who have historically been left behind,” said Gov. Tina Kotek in a press release. 

According to the Learning Policy Institute, the Department of Education gives $73.46 million to support an array of Oregon education programs and grants, predominantly those targeted to underrepresented student groups. 

This includes $22.2 million for migrant education and $7.7 million to support students learning English as a second language. 

“At best, the Trump Administration has hobbled schools’ ability to prepare for the upcoming school year. At worst, this is another threat to force our hand, aimed directly at Oregon’s most marginalized students,” said Kotek in the release. “It will not work. I will not back down from a fight or waver in my commitment to the promise of all Oregon students.”

The governor’s office will work with the Oregon Department of Education, education service districts and school districts to “analyze the immediate and long-term impacts” of the grant freeze.