Attorney General Mayes has successfully obtained a court order requiring the Trump administration to reinstate access to crucial Department of Education programs. These programs are designed to support low-income and unhoused students and provide funding for services addressing the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on K-12 students.
"The Trump administration violated the law when it tried to strip away critical education funding that Congress had already appropriated," stated Attorney General Mayes. "This order restores essential support for students and holds the administration accountable to the rule of law."
On April 10, Attorney General Mayes, along with a coalition of 15 other attorneys general and the Governor of Pennsylvania, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The lawsuit challenged the unilateral termination of access to over $1 billion in grants from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which had been previously accessible until March 2026 according to ED's determination. Judge Edgardo Ramos from the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a preliminary injunction ordering ED to restore states' access to these funds as legal proceedings continue.
ARPA funded three education-related programs aimed at supporting state school systems: Homeless Children and Youth (HCY), Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER), and Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools (EANS). These programs were established to aid schools and students in recovering from pandemic impacts.
The coalition led by Attorney General Mayes argued that ED's sudden termination of fund access was creating an unexpected budget shortfall detrimental to students and teachers by eliminating vital educational services.
Judge Ramos granted a preliminary injunction preventing ED from blocking states' ARPA funding access. This decision stops ED from enforcing a March 28, 2025 letter by Education Secretary Linda McMahon that rescinded states' ability to use their awarded ARPA funds.
The lawsuit includes participation from attorneys general across several states including California, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington D.C., as well as Pennsylvania's governor.
A copy of the court order is available below.