Attorney General Kris Mayes, along with 15 other attorneys general and the Governor of Pennsylvania, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The coalition aims to restore states' access to critical Department of Education programs funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that support low-income and homeless students and address the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on K–12 students.
The legal action follows an announcement on March 28 from the Department of Education (ED), which notified states that it was ending access to grants from ARPA previously approved for access through March 2026. According to Attorney General Mayes, “The Trump administration is engaged in a coordinated attack on students, families, and the entire education system,” referencing the sudden termination of funds as a significant setback for state education budgets.
ARPA funded several programs, including Homeless Children and Youth (HCY), Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER), and Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools (EANS), aimed at assisting vulnerable students and supporting public and private schools. "These cuts will hit rural Arizona especially hard," noted Mayes, emphasizing the reliance of many schools on these federal funds to maintain educational services.
The coalition contends that the ED's sudden fund termination violates the Administrative Procedure Act. They argue that the decision reverses the prior ruling without adequate explanation and contradicts congressional intentions. The lawsuit seeks a court order to prevent the ED from changing its position and to reinstate state access to these essential funds.
This legal effort is supported by the attorneys general of several states, including California, Delaware, and New York, among others, as well as the Governor of Pennsylvania.