Public school teachers return to the classroom for the new school year in exactly two weeks. Students are soon to follow.
The Conversation talked to Deputy Superintendent of Strategy and Administration Tammi Oyadomari-Chun about what families need to know about a freeze on federal funds and how that may translate to the classrooms, school lunches and after-school programs.
She said the Hawaiʻi DOE is not directly impacted by the court wrangling over the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education.
This week, state Attorney General Anne Lopez expressed disappointment that the U.S. Supreme Court is allowing the president to lay off staff even though arguments on the merits of the case have not yet been heard.
Interview highlights
On federal funding freezes impacting the Department of Education
TAMMI OYADOMARI-CHUN: In March, Congress passed the continuing resolution that allowed for this year's federal budget. That meant that the government wouldn't shut down because they had a budget. As part of that process, the Congress appropriated funds for education programs that included level funding, meaning the same level of funds for this year as last year, for major programs that support the federal funds to Hawaiʻi's public schools. Hawaiʻi public schools, like schools around the country, receive a lot of the federal funds through formula, meaning that, based on our population, we get a certain amount of money. So, since March, we have been anticipating receiving a similar level of funding as prior years for all of our formula-funded education programs. We just found out at the end of June that the U.S. Department of Education is not releasing funds for six different programs. This is happening across the nation, not just Hawaiʻi, and those six programs combined represent about $33 million of support for our schools and students in the state. So these are funds that we had been counting on because Congress had appropriated the money. States across the country were surprised that the money was going to be withheld, especially so close to the start of the school year.
On the programs being frozen
OYADOMARI-CHUN: They serve a variety of different purposes. The one that's getting the most attention right now is called the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program. That provides contracts to providers for out-of-school time. The most visible part of those programs are our after-school programs provided, say, by After-School All-Stars. These are not our A+ programs, so these programs will often fund, say, middle school after-school programs. A+ is a totally separate program that's not affected by this withholding of federal funds. ... On the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, those programs are going to be able to begin the year as planned. So we are already using what's called carryover funds, meaning funds that were not spent from last year's grant, to be able to start the school year and be able to provide those services. So families can be assured that any after-school programs that had been planned and funded through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, federally funded, will be able to start the school year.
On the 24-state lawsuit to release federal education funds
OYADOMARI-CHUN: Hawaiʻi was part of a lawsuit against the federal government to release these funds that were congressionally appropriated. We were a part of 24 states that filed the lawsuit. So if we are successful in the courts, the U.S. Department of Education would release the funds, so they would just be delayed in its receipt. So we are organizing ourselves with the expectation that the courts will compel the federal government to send us the funds that are already allocated to us. So at this time, we are organizing ourselves to make sure that the priority activities, the personnel, the programs for students that were already planned will be able to start the school year. In the meantime, we're making contingency plans to look at how we would be able to continue to support the critical services on an ongoing basis in the event that the funds are very delayed or not received.
On the student meals program
OYADOMARI-CHUN: For our school meals program, there's no direct impacts at this time from changes with the federal government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is continuing to provide the reimbursement for our school meals for eligible students. We have a lot of concerns, however, about what we're hearing could be impacts on our student meals program. But so far, the program continues to be funded, as it has in the past. But we're monitoring a lot of potential actions that could be taken by Congress or U.S. Department of Agriculture that would impact our student meals program. ... It's a priority that our students are fed. It's a partnership that we also have with the Legislature around making sure that a school meal provides food security for students who need it. The Legislature passed Senate Bill 1300 this year that increased the support for our students who need financial assistance in getting a school meal.
This story aired on The Conversation on July 16, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Hannah Kaʻiulani Coburn adapted this interview for the web.
