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Regional educational groups serving children and adults are "cautiously optimistic" after the U.S. Department of Education reinstated over $230 million in federal funding that was withheld during a review earlier this summer.
“It’s all been very stressful,” CEO of Literacy Pittsburgh Carey Harris said. “But when we all found out, we were very relieved … there were tears of joy.”
The nonprofit offers free educational programs for almost 4,000 adults and families in Allegheny and Beaver counties each year. A third of their $7.3 million budget is funded through the federal grants that have been reinstated.
“We’re cautiously optimistic; we’ve been told there are new conditions attached to the funds,” Harris said. “What is [the government] telling us to do differently, if anything? We are just waiting.”
A senior administration official with the federal Office of Budget and Management said in a statement that funds, which the Associated Press reports is over $6 billion, will be released to all states and that new “guardrails” are in place to ensure “they are not used in violation of Executive Orders or administration policy.”
It was not immediately clear how funds may have been misused.
The funds being reinstated to schools and agencies across Pennsylvania include:
· Title I-C (Migrant Education) - $11 million
· Title II-A (Supporting Effective Instruction) - $70 million
· Title III-A (English Language Acquisition) - $20 million
· Title IV-A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment) - $55 million
· Title IV-B (21st Century Community Learning Centers) - $54 million
· Adult Education Basic Grants to States – $20 million
Gov. Josh Shapiro joined a multistate lawsuit filed in mid-July against the Trump administration for withholding the funding.
“We sued the Trump Administration and now the Department of Education has told us that every dollar of the $230 million unlawfully withheld from Pennsylvania schools will be returned to us — critical funds that school districts rely on to meet their budgets, train teachers, provide afterschool programs, and more,” Shapiro said in a statement on X.
Another organization that had funds reinstated is the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, which provides specialized services to over 110,000 students in Allegheny County.
In 2024-25, the AIU was awarded $206,600 in Title II-A funding, $590,574 in Title III, and $163,482 in Adult Basic Education, officials said.
AIU Executive Director Bob Scherrer said that the group is “encouraged” after federal funds are now flowing.
“This funding plays a vital role in supporting high-quality after-school and summer programs for students across the Commonwealth,” said Scherrer, in a prepared statement. “These funds are essential in helping school districts and community-based organizations provide safe, engaging, and academically enriching environments beyond the regular school day."
The 21st Century Community Learning Center grant makes up about 2% of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania’s annual budget, but President and CEO Chris Watts said the uncertainty of the funding has created some “anxiety” for the organization.
“We were preparing for a hopeful reinstatement to ensure we can deliver on our commitments,” Watts said. “It hasn't truly changed much outside of just some uncertainty and anxiety about what the future may bring.”
Watts said the organization was notified that their federal funding will be reinstated through the next fiscal year. The Boys and Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania is part of a cohort scheduled to receive funding until 2027.
“We're just keeping our heads down, doing the work and preparing accordingly,” Watts said. “Our mission requires a lot of support to work, and demand for what we're doing continues to grow. And so, moments of uncertainty are absolutely challenging for us, but they further warrant the need for diverse support.”
The Boys and Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania serves about 11,000 students a year.
Neighborhood Learning Alliance Executive Director Kashif Henderson said while funding is restored for this year, they need the 21st Grant to continue operations after next March. The nonprofit serves about 140 students in Allegheny County each year, working to provide educational opportunities to low-income youth, and is a part of the grant’s cohort from 2024-2029.
“We’re moving day by day,” Henderson said. “We’ve been fortunate at this point to continue providing our services, but after March, we’re not sure what that’s going to look like.”
Henderson said the organization is continuing to reach out to individual donors and corporations.
“As a nonprofit, you’re always preparing for all possible scenarios,” Henderson said. “We will continue our mission to serve our youth the best we can.”
While federal funding for the next year may be secure, state funding to some local school districts is delayed.
With lawmakers at an impasse over a budget, the state is unable to make at least at least $2.5 billion in payments to schools, counties, and key service providers, Spotlight PA reports. Lawmakers were supposed to complete the budget by June 30.
All of Butler County Community College’s adult literacy programs are funded through state and federal grants, and as of Thursday, they have yet to receive either. Coordinator of News and Media Content William Foley said the college will continue to fund the program until the funds are released.
The next House Appropriations Committee meeting is scheduled for September 29, and as of Friday, the Senate has not set their next meeting.
Erin Yudt is a reporter with Next Generation Newsroom, part of the Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University. She most recently was a multimedia producer and digital reporter at WKBN in Youngstown and is a graduate of Point Park University. Reach her at erin.yudt@pointpark.edu.