Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford has joined a lawsuit with 15 other state attorneys general and the Pennsylvania governor against the U.S. Department of Education to restore access to pandemic-era programs for low-income and unhoused students. The lawsuit claims that the agency canceled grants from the American Rescue Plan Act, impacting K-12 students and other services related to the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ford stated that the cuts are unlawful and will negatively impact Nevada’s children.
The lawsuit, which is 55 pages long, is part of a broader effort by Democratic-led attorneys general to challenge federal budget cuts and changes made by the Trump administration. The complaint focuses on three programs: ESSER, HCY, and EANS, which received billions in federal funding. The Trump administration argued that the funds were not needed so long after the emergency event, claiming that “COVID is over.”
It is reported that Nevada’s exact funding from these programs is unknown at this time, but other states received billions. The Clark County School District in Nevada has stated that they have spent all the ESSER funds they received. The coalition of attorneys general seeks to reverse the terminations and ensure states can access the funding, originally intended to be available through March 2026.
The Department of Education has defended its actions, arguing that the funds should be used to directly mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on student learning. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York. For further information, contact McKenna Ross at mross@reviewjournal.com.
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