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DENVER, CO – Today Senate and House Leadership and Education Committee Chairs released statements following the Trump Administration’s decision to withhold up to $70 million in K-12 funding for Colorado schools – which had been previously appropriated by Congress for the 2025-2026 school year.
In a letter to superintendents, Colorado Commissioner of Education Susana Cordova warned districts to “engage in contingency planning in the event that Colorado does not receive allocations by the close of the federal fiscal year on Sept. 30.”
Earlier this year, Democrats passed legislation to create the Colorado Defense Fund and set aside $4 million to protect Colorado’s interests from federal efforts to freeze funding, halt contracts, or otherwise disrupt essential services for Coloradans.
“This latest move by the Trump Administration is sending our school districts into financial panic. In Colorado, we worked together to sustainability and strategically increase public school funding,” said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “However, without these federal dollars, our schools, especially in rural and underserved areas, will be forced to lay off teachers and staff. The Department of Education isn’t just withholding competitive grants; they’re withholding dollars already set aside by Congress for the 2025-2026 school year. We cannot let this happen. I urge the Trump Administration to restore the funding so our school districts can continue to meet the needs of our students.”
“Coloradans pay our share in federal taxes, and in return, our public schools rely on federal funding,” said President James Coleman, D-Denver. “The Trump Administration is withholding millions of already allocated dollars that have been budgeted for teacher training, afterschool and summer programs, and students learning English. Politics should never stand in the way of supporting our kids and their future.”
“Public education is the cornerstone of a strong community, and we need these federal dollars working for our students in Colorado, not tied up in Washington D.C.,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “In Colorado, we stand up for our students and teachers. This is just another attempt by the Trump Administration to dismantle our education systems and withhold federal funding from school districts and devoted educators, like my mom, who worked as a special education and bilingual teacher for years.”
“The Trump Administration’s decision to withhold tens of millions of dollars of funding for students and teachers will devastate districts’ budgets that they just finalized,” said Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, D-Denver. “These programs – like after school care and English language learning programs – support some of our most vulnerable students and are critical to their future success and opportunity. This funding must be released and sent to schools as previously promised – it’s what Colorado students and teachers deserve.”
“In Colorado, funding our schools is bipartisan, but this federal funding freeze will set our rural and underserved districts back,” said Chair of the House Education Committee Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs. “As a teacher, I know we are used to doing more with less, but this move jeopardizes funding for the upcoming school year for certain after-school programs and specialized support for students living with disabilities, and English Language Learners. Colorado needs this funding so our students can succeed in the classroom.”
“This federal funding for K-12 schools was already appropriated and approved by Congress, but now Trump is withholding these critical dollars because we’re not kowtowing to his agenda,” said Chair of the Senate Education Committee Chris Kolker, D-Centennial. “We have worked hard to support our students, schools, and teachers by boosting per pupil funding and creating the Kids Matter Fund, but school districts need the federal funding that was promised to them to make ends meet for this coming school year. The US Department of Education must release these funds and make things right for Colorado kids.”