BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — While Oklahoma is not among the 24 states suing the Trump administration over the federal government's freeze on $6.8 billion in education funding, districts across the state are still bracing for major impacts.
Two of Green Country’s largest school districts, Broken Arrow and Owasso, are preparing for the possibility of major budget shortfalls if the funding isn’t released.
“We're going to lose a lot of professional development training… bullying programs, counseling support. We're going to lose a lot of that as well,” said Jean Brassfield, executive director of federal programs for Broken Arrow Public Schools.
The U.S. Department of Education announced last week that it would temporarily withhold billions in federal grants pending what it described as a “programmatic review.”
WATCH: Oklahoma school districts brace for budget cuts amid federal funding freeze
The freeze affects key grant programs under Titles II, III, and IV—funding that supports teacher development, gifted education, support for English learners, and family engagement initiatives.
In Broken Arrow, the district is set to lose more $1.18 million in funding if the freeze becomes permanent.
“That impact is going to be devastating,” Brassfield said.
One of the areas most at risk is the district’s gifted education support staff, who are paid through federal grants.
“They go into the classrooms and coach our teachers on how to challenge and enrich our students,” she said. “That will be totally unfunded and taken away.”
Meanwhile, Owasso Public Schools is also facing uncertainty. At a board meeting Monday night, Superintendent Dr. Margaret Coates said her district could lose $500,000 in federal support. Of that amount, $113,000 is earmarked for counseling, curriculum, instructional materials, and professional development.
“You can see what we stand to lose, and it's pretty evident that it’s substantial,” Coates said.
Despite the looming funding threat, both districts say they are moving forward with planning and operations as usual.
“We're holding our committee meetings to make sure that if we receive the money, we're still going to have the best programs and everything that we need,” Brassfield said.
The lawsuit, filed by 24 other states, alleges the funding freeze violates the federal Impoundment Control Act and could severely harm schools across the country if not resolved quickly.
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