Originally published in Utah Policy.
“Expect the unexpected” could be the motto for state education leaders right now, but “Prepare for the unexpected” is better.
Within the past few weeks, states have witnessed two major developments in national education policy: a federal education grant funding freeze and a ruling that President Trump does not have to halt the firing of half of the U.S. Department of Education staff. There are specific things Utah policymakers can do now to prepare as such changes impact state education policy.
In April, I wrote a piece encouraging states to prepare early for federal changes nationwide, with a specific focus on Utah. This month’s latest occurrences, only six months into the Trump administration, underscore the need for state and local preparation for future disruptions to the education status quo, so schools are not left to panic. While debating the value of disruptive policies in education or the constitutionality of such decisions is not the focus of this piece, considering a path forward is.
This week, 24 states filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for not yet distributing federal education funds allocated by Congress in March to the states. The day before the disbursement of several federal formula grant funds on July 1, 2025, states were notified that the U.S. Department of Education was freezing the funds. The abrupt announcement that funds are under review to determine if these grants are being spent in alignment with the President’s priorities, with no timeline announced, has left districts across the country in a lurch, emphasizing the need for states to prepare for inevitable turbulence in education.
This freeze is supposed to impact Utah by $35 million in areas like migrant education, English Language Learning, afterschool programs, professional development, adult education, and professional development.
According to news reports, when some local districts were asked how they are reacting to the freeze of funds, they said they don’t know yet.
The same reporting says charter schools are adjusting budgets. Others report that the Utah State Board of Education has said it’s encouraging districts to look at whether two-year grants can carry over into this year and has said it has plans in place if not. One leader of an afterschool program network is facing the uncertainty of discontinuing or reducing services, or even layoffs of staff. About 40% of what Utah administers to after-school programs comes from federal sources, which is a chunk that would be difficult to cover without any promise of reimbursement.
This isn’t the first time changes in federal grant funds have come as a shock to Utah. It happened at the beginning of the year during the legislative session, with federal funding freezes from an executive order, with impacts for many different agencies in the state.
We also know from the FY 2026 Proposed Budget that the administration has proposed to eliminate or consolidate these education grant funds, which are currently frozen. All of this is part of a clearly stated, ongoing effort to move more power over education back to the states.
Because disruption has become a pattern, the state should continue to understand how different federal education funding streams are utilized in the state (as it did with a recent federal funds audit) and require detailed local school district contingency plans for any near future loss of funds.
Further, this week, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration is allowed to continue dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, specifically firing half its staff. This latest win for the Trump administration should signal to states that now is the time to establish goals for how they can step into bigger roles in education policy.
The education interim study items list includes the need to study federal education changes. This is wise, and it ought to include preparing for expanded state roles and oversight for things like Title I, IDEA, civil rights, and accountability issues. Setting aspirational goals and getting feedback from the public on what they’d like to see are part of what might empower states to respond rather than react.
This newest wave of uncertainty presents an opportunity for states to demonstrate new leadership in education policy, and now is the time to do it.
