Trump freezes $8.1 million for Wake County schools. Here’s what that means
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- Trump administration freezes $8.1M in Wake schools funding amid grant review.
- Wake County enacts hiring, spending freezes to manage potential resource shortfall.
- Federal cuts target Title II, III, IV programs serving teachers and English learners.
Wake County is freezing spending and some hiring as a result of the Trump administration withholding $8.1 million in federal funding from the school district.
On June 30, the U.S. Education Department notified states it was freezing $6.8 billion in funding for programs such as teacher training, after-school programs, summer programs, and services for migrant students and English learners.
In a message posted Wednesday, the Wake County school system said the state Department of Public Instruction notified the district that $8.1 million is being withheld. The frozen money pays for the positions of some school employees.
“The affected programs are vital to helping every student succeed,” Wake said. “The loss of these funds will have a serious impact on our ability to maintain positions, programs, and resources proven to drive student achievement. We are currently reviewing all district expenditures to determine the best path forward.”
Wake said employees funded by the $8.1 million should continue to report to work while the district assesses the implications of the funding loss.
Hiring and spending freeze
The district announced it will extend the 90-day hiring freeze on Central Services positions and continue restrictions on spending and out-of-state travel.
There will be new restrictions on hiring for any vacant position currently funded from:
▪ Title II, PRC 103 (Supporting Effective Instruction)
▪ Title III, PRC 104 (English Language Acquisition)
▪ Title IV, PRC 108 (Student Support and Academic Enrichment)
Wake says the 90-day hiring freeze on Central Services positions will not affect vacancies that are exempt, have a waiver or whose hiring has been recommended.
Wake says spending is restricted to core educational and operational needs only.
Funds frozen at start of school year
The nearly $7 billion in federal funding was previously authorized by Congress and was supposed to be given out last week. But the Trump administration said the money was being withheld pending a review of the grants.
Nearly $169 million is being withheld from North Carolina public schools
“The funding supports positions and programs through Title II, III, and IV grant programs that provide academic enrichment, support for English language learners, and other essential student and family services, as well as professional development to educators across our district,” Wake said.
The Trump administration hasn’t given a timeline for how long the review will take and whether the money will still be provided. School leaders fear they might not get the $6.8 billion because Trump’s 2026 budget proposal called for Congress to zero out all of the programs under review..
The delay and possible loss of the funding has caused panic for schools across the country. Some students, such as at year-round schools in Wake County, began the new school year on Monday.
“The timing of this federal funding freeze — just as the new school year begins — could not be worse,” Keith Poston, president of the WakeEd Partnership, a business-backed group that supports public education, said in a statement Wednesday.
“It places added strain on a school system already stretched thin. These funds support real programs, real classrooms, and real people — not abstract policy debates.”
Collecting school supplies for teachers
This isn’t the first time Wake has been impacted by federal cuts. The Trump administration has threatened to withhold federal funding from schools that promote diversity, equity and inclusion.
In February, the Education Department canceled $600 million in teacher training grants, including $11.8 million for Wake County. The Trump administration accused grant recipients of using the money to promote “divisive ideologies.”
in April, the Education Department announced it was canceling $1 billion in school mental health grants, including $14.1 million for Wake County. The Trump administration again cited promotion of DEI.
“While we recognize the political complexities, student needs are not partisan or political,” Poston said. “WakeEd will continue working alongside Wake County Public Schools to navigate these challenges and spotlight the real impact on teachers and students.”
This week, WakeEd launched its Tools4Schools School Supply Drive to collect items to donate to Wake County teachers. The organization operates a store in Raleigh that provides free school supplies each year to 11,000 teachers.
For more information, email tools4schools@wakeed.org
This story was originally published July 9, 2025 at 6:30 PM.
