Concerns over frozen federal funding that could have cost the Warren County School District $350,000 appear to have been resolved.

Attention on federal funding freezes have most recently been focused on colleges around the country, but Title 2 funding for the Warren County School District has also been affected. An item on the agenda for Monday’s school board meeting included approval of a letter to be sent to federal lawmakers and federal executive branch members opposing the freeze in funding. But, according to published reports, the funding has now been unfrozen.

On Monday, June 30, the U.S. Department of Education notified the Pennsylvania Department of Education that the federal government would delay delivering about $230 million in federal money for Pennsylvania schools that support education programs throughout the state. The funding is typically available on July 1 each year. Funding included:

– Title I-C (Migrant Education) – $11 million

– Title II-A (Supporting Effective Instruction) – $70 million

– Title III-A (English Language Acquisition) – $20 million

– Title IV-A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment) – $55 million

– Title IV-B (21st Century Community Learning Centers) – $54 million

– Adult Education Basic Grants to States – $20 million.

“We sued the Trump Administration and now the Department of Education has told us that every dollar of the $230 million unlawfully withheld from Pennsylvania schools will be returned to us — critical funds that school districts rely on to meet their budgets, train teachers, provide afterschool programs, and more,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said on X recently.

The issue was discussed in late July by Warren County School District members. Board member John Wortman asked that an agenda item be added for the Monday, Aug. 11, board meeting to include a draft letter outlining the specific negative impacts of current federal funding freezes on the Warren County School District. Superintendent Gary Weber confirmed that the letter will be ready and noted ongoing uncertainty around the release of funds, particularly Title funding. The district could have lost $350,000 and possible have had to lay off several paraprofessionals. The letter was not discussed during Monday’s meeting once the federal funding was unfrozen.

Board members also heard recently about the 21st Century Summer Program, which served 126 students – 103 at the elementary level that includes incoming kindergarteners for the 2025-26 school year, and 23 at the middle school level during its four-week session. Planning is already complete for the fall session, which will again include both elementary and middle levels, running from 3:15 to 5:15 p.m. with transportation provided. Tracy

Vile and Anna Peterson will oversee the elementary and middle level programs, respectively. Outreach efforts are underway to boost awareness and enrollment, especially at the middle level, to ensure the program can continue.

Wortman suggested creating a pamphlet to highlight the summer activities at the school and send it to middle-school parents to boost enrollment. Lynn Shultz, district assessment, curriculum and instruction director, said the district is working to do more to inform parents of the district’s offerings to engage students who lack after-school activities.