Harrison County schools told to pause new contracts as U.S. Education Department reviews FY25 allocations

HARRISON COUNTY, W.Va. — The U.S. Department of Education has paused several fiscal 2025 federal grant allocations that Harrison County schools normally receive, district staff told the Harrison County Board of Education at its July 15 meeting, and advised districts not to enter new contracts until the department completes a review.

The guidance affects Title II, Part A (supporting effective instruction); Title III, Part A (language instruction for English learners); Title IV, Part A (student support and academic enrichment); and Title IV, Part B (21st Century Community Learning Centers). District staff said Title I, Part A preliminary and July final allocations were released and remain available; Title I, Part C (migrant education) is not allocated to the county. The U.S. Department of Education told the state there is no statutory deadline for releasing the paused funds.

District staff said the Department recommended reviewing immediately planned expenditures — such as salaries — and warned that even if funds are released they “may not be released in time” for planned spending. The presenter urged the board to assume the paused funds may not arrive and to avoid entering…