North Carolina could lose nearly 1,000 education jobs and over $165 million in federal funding as the Trump administration reviews $6 billion in grants for alignment with new executive priorities. Attorney General Jeff Jackson, alongside Gov. Josh Stein and Superintendent Mo Green, joined a multistate lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration to stop the review, calling it disruptive and politically motivated.
The lawsuit, filed in Rhode Island and supported by 24 states plus Washington, D.C., targets Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, alleging the review halts funding for vital programs. Funds in jeopardy cover after-school and summer services, English language acquisition, literacy programs, and more.
In North Carolina alone, Jackson said the cuts would impact all 115 public school districts. Specifically:
- $67.9M for 507 jobs in instructional support
- $37.2M for 247 jobs in student enrichment
- $35.7M for 29 jobs in community learning centers
- $19.3M for 133 jobs in English language acquisition
- $5.4M for 66 migrant education jobs
Districts facing the biggest losses include Mecklenburg ($12.2M), Wake ($8M), and Guilford ($6.2M).
Superintendent Mo Green emphasized the urgency, noting schools are weeks away from the start of the academic year. “The timing creates significant and unnecessary challenges…for the children who depend on these services,” he said.
Rep. Alma Adams, D-N.C., called the funding freeze a betrayal, warning that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools face either debt or understaffing.
The Trump administration, through GOP spokesperson Matt Mercer, defended the review as a standard check to ensure grants match the administration’s priorities. “That’s it,” he said, calling Jackson’s involvement a political stunt while major issues like rising crime and noncompliance with ICE are ignored.
Notably, Nevada and Vermont—both led by Republican governors—joined the lawsuit, while Democrat-led Kansas did not.
