D-PA. Gov. Josh Shapiro joined 15 states and Washington, DC, challenging President Donald Trump's Department of Education, revoking millions of people with education funding during the state's pandemic era.
Shapiro and the group of Attorney Generals across the country filed complaints with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and the Department of Education, challenging the withdrawal of the federal government assigned to “fight the devastating and continuing impacts” of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The complaint alleges that the funds had been allocated by March 2026 and that the state was “notified without prior notice or warning” on March 28th. The complaint says the funds in question were allocated by Congress using pandemic-era law.
“Every Pennsylvania student deserves the freedom to diagram and the opportunity to succeed in diagramming their courses. I maintain that freedom and take steps to ensure that Pennsylvania students do not harm the federal decision to return to that word,” Shapiro said.
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D-Penn. Gov. Josh Shapiro is challenging President Donald Trump's Department of Education, which allegedly revoked $185 million in education funding in Pennsylvania during the pandemic. (AP image)
Shapiro said the $1.85 million federal funding “Lowed to Pennsylvania” will support academic and mental health programs, implement and modernize new technologies, and provide improved school infrastructure.
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The Pennsylvania governor cancelled Pennsylvania taxpayer $185 million to get a tab on the already-in-the-go project, as he claimed that the district and institution were already spending the money allocated.
The complaint has been co-signed by the Attorney Generals of Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maine, Maine, Maine, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Washington, DC.
State leaders argue that the Department of Education failed to withdraw federal funds due to the “end of the pandemic.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro will speak on the third day of the Democratic National Convention held at the United Center in Chicago on August 21, 2024. (Reuters/Mike Segar)
Education spokesman Maddie Biederman told Fox News Digital:
“The department has established a process to consider project-specific funding requests. Project-specific standards can demonstrate that funding usage directly reduces the effects of Covid-19 on student learning. If the lawsuit uses these funds to correct learning losses and assists students, then there is no need for this lawsuit.”
The pandemic-related recession in federal education funding follows Trump's fulfillment of the 2024 major campaign promise to dismantle the Department of Education. Last month, Trump signed an executive order directing McMahon to close the department and return educational institutions to the state. Republican ideas, often brought to mind by presidential hopes, were first implemented during Trump's second term.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon will speak with reporters at the White House in Washington, DC on March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Cartis)
Shapiro relies on the judicial system during Trump's second term to unlock Pennsylvania's federal funds. Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania governor joined 22 states and Washington, D.C., cancelled public health grants to prevent the spread of infection in lawsuits against Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Department of Health and Human Services.
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Shapiro also sued the Trump administration on February 13, challenging him to freeze Trump's “illegal” federal funding. Shortly afterwards, Shapiro celebrated the $2.1 billion in federal funds being taken over and recovered to Pennsylvania after a direct conflict with the Trump administration.
