North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson has sued the U.S. Department of Education for cutting nearly $50 million in federal funding from public schools, including schools in high-poverty, rural areas. Jackson has secured $2.5 million of the federal education funds used to benefit schools participating in the Full Service Community Schools program from 18 districts as a result of the lawsuit.
The Full Service Community Schools program aims to support children and families in high-poverty, rural areas through improving the coordination, integration, accessibility, and effectiveness of services for schools enrolled.
The U.S. The Department of Education wants to cut funding for eligible school districts, including Hyde, Terrell, Washington, and Bertie counties. The case poses similarities to the seminal education policy case, Leandro v. The State of North Carolina, as low-wealth, rural counties came together to denounce the state for denying their constitutional responsibility to provide a sound, basic education for all children.
“Our kids deserve better. A surprise cut of nearly $50 million from rural schools, with virtually no notice and no allegation of misuse, is unlawful and harmful, the Department of Education approved these programs, allowed schools to build them, and now it’s trying to pull the rug out from under dozens of rural communities,” said AG Jeff Jackson.
“This is a good outcome for our students – but not the final step in our fight, schools and students will continue to get much-needed funding they were promised… while we continue this case,” said AG Jeff Jackson.
North Carolina remains the only state in the country without a comprehensive budget, and the Trump administration is making it even harder for students to receive the funding for quality education.
We must continue to hold state elected officials accountable for failing to pass a state budget, and hold the federal government accountable for its excuses for not funding crucial education programs that benefit rural students.
