District 87 schools are planning other avenues of payment if the federal grants delayed this month do not come.
The Trump administration withheld more than $6 billion in grant funding for schools — money typically used for after-school and summer programs, professional development for teachers, English language instruction for non-native speakers and more.
The Office of Management and Budget [OMB] claimed the delay is because of a “left wing agenda” the money helps fund. The director of the OMB is Russell Vought, a Christian nationalist who played a major role in creating a conservative initiative reshaping the government called Project 2025.
This means almost $1 million in funding expected to come July 1 still has not been offered to District 87. Unit 5 Superintendent Kristen Weikle said her school district is missing a similar amount.
“This is money that directly impacts students and families,” said superintendent David Mouser. “What we're going to need to do is figure out ways to make this work, to make sure that our kids don't miss out on services. We're just going to have to adapt.”
Mouser thinks there may be a slim chance the money does come, albeit late, to fund programs for teacher professional development, low-income students, English as a second language students and more. He said the problem is his school district will not be able to plan for that.
“We want to make sure that we're doing everything with fidelity and making sure that kids are getting everything that they need. So it's always better for us to build a budget ahead of time,” Mouser said.
A potential solution for the lack of funding would be found in budget cuts, said Mouser. He added funds from the countywide sales tax could cover some of the costs the federal grant money would have paid for. The tax passed in April took effect July 1, with revenue expected to come around October.
“What I would tell people is, I'm not ready to throw in the towel,” said Mouser. “I do think that this is a bump in the road, and I'm really hopeful that it gets fixed. I'm hopeful that we see federal funds come through in support of education.”
SNAP cuts
Mouser said low-income students will still be fed if eligibility requirements change for free and reduced-price school lunches.
Around 65% of District 87 students come from households considered to be low-income. Mouser said around one-fifth of the students currently eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP] benefits will soon see their classifications change in some capacity.
Changes from the recently passed GOP tax cut and spending law will tighten eligibility requirements for SNAP. It adds a requirement for parents with children over the age of 6 to meet work requirements and shifts some of the costs associated with SNAP to states.
“What we'll have to do is really rely on families filling out the forms to be able to get free and reduced lunch eligibility,” said Mouser.
This adds a few new issues to the situation for District 87. The school district will be in charge of collecting forms to help students maintain eligibility. There is also the likelihood that some families decide to not apply.
“But you know, we're a community, and we're here to help all kids, and we're not going to let a kid go hungry,” said Mouser. “What that may ultimately mean is that we have meals here at school, provided on a daily basis that nobody is paying for, and then that obviously comes out of our budget as well.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is expected to announce new guidance for eligibility requirements for SNAP benefits. Current guidance lasts until Sept. 30.
