THE U.S. Department of Education is withholding a portion of — but not reducing, as earlier reported — the annual grants for the CNMI Public School System, U.S. Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds clarified in her e-newsletter on Friday.
King-Hinds said the USDOE informed PSS that it is withholding $4.5 million from its annual Consolidated Grant award — nearly 24% of the total funds typically awarded each summer.
“To clarify, those funds have not been cut, but they are being withheld pending review by the Department of Education,” she said.
King-Hinds noted that the USDOE is taking similar action with education grants to all states and territories. She added that she is working to obtain clear answers about the status of key programs potentially affected by the hold, including English language support, effective instruction, after-school activities, and student support and academic enrichment initiatives.
She said she has sent letters to both the USDOE and the Office of Management and Budget, urging immediate action to expedite the review and release of the withheld funds, stressing that “our schools need all the resources they can get” and that “PSS deserves stability to better provide our students every opportunity to succeed.”
This clarification was also shared by Board of Education Chairman Kodep Ogumoro-Uludong and Education Commissioner Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho during a House Ways and Means budget hearing on Wednesday.
They said the $4.5 million in Consolidated Grant funds are on hold, but that the total funding amount has not been reduced.
Camacho said the programs that may be impacted by the withheld funds include after-school programs, professional development, and career readiness. In response, he said PSS has reviewed all 13 federally supported programs to find ways to continue serving students despite the temporary funding hold.
Asked whether the hold would be lifted this year, Camacho said PSS was informed that a decision may be made “in the next few months.” He added, “We are hoping for a positive outcome — at least for now.”
