Trump Administration Reverses Multi-Billion-Dollar Federal School Aid Freeze

President Donald Trump is reinstating the Presidential Fitness Test and the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition to promote healthy lifestyles among American schoolchildren, with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. overseeing the program. The Trump administration reversed a freeze on nearly $7 billion in federal education grants, ensuring that local school districts, including those in Jamestown and El Paso County, receive critical funding for student services, after-school programs, and educational resources. This about-face came after criticism from elected officials and educators who highlighted the disruption and stress caused by the initial withholding of funds. Despite efforts by the Department of Education to halt some grant distributions, a federal court ordered the continuation of congressionally authorized civil rights grants aimed at desegregating public schools. Additionally, Trump’s Department of Education initially enforced a deadline for COVID-19 relief funds that complicated infrastructure projects in poor districts like Robeson County, but later extended the period to March 2026. These developments reflect ongoing tensions and shifts in federal education funding policies under the Trump administration.