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Committee hears federal budget concerns and update on ESSER funds
Summary
Dr. Kearney summarized proposed federal K–12 funding cuts in the administration’s budget proposal and a board member reported that a Pennsylvania lawsuit preserved roughly $200 million in ESSER funds; Radnor said the ruling does not affect the district directly.
At its May 6 meeting, the Radnor Township School District Government Relations & Communications Committee discussed recent federal budget proposals affecting K–12 education and a state court development protecting certain COVID-era education funds.
Dr. Kearney reviewed a recent Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU) legislative report and summarized the administration’s federal budget proposal released the prior Friday. He said the proposal "does call for cuts to the k through 12 funding from the federal government to public education" and described specific elements: a reported "35% reduction for the office of civil rights," an intended increase of "$60,000,000" for charter school funding, while Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act were preserved. He added that if the proposal were accepted as-is, overall federal education appropriations would be "overall lower... $4,500,000,000 next fiscal year." Dr. Kearney emphasized that Congress must complete appropriations before any changes take effect.
Separately, a board member reported that the Pennsylvania administration "has prevailed in their lawsuit against the Trump administration," which the speaker said had threatened to withhold funds already appropriated by Congress for education purposes. The speaker and the chair placed the amount at about $200,000,000 and said Radnor was not directly affected because the district had already spent its ESSER allocations and received reimbursements. Dr. Kearney confirmed the district’s ESSER funds had been spent and reimbursed.
The committee did not adopt any formal positions at the meeting; members were informed of the developments and invited to raise any items for the full board to consider.
