Gov. Evers demands release of delayed federal school aid for...

Gov. Evers demands release of delayed federal school aid for 20 Wisconsin school districts

Gov. Tony Evers is calling on the leader of the U.S. Department of Education to immediately release federal school aid that has been delayed during the ongoing government shutdown. In a Nov. 10 letter to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Evers demanded the federal agency send Impact Aid payments to 20 school districts in Wisconsin that were expecting to receive the funding last month. The districts serve over 21,000 children and rely on the money to keep operations running, Evers said. The federal Impact Aid program supports school districts in places with nontaxable federal land and reimburses them for lost local property tax revenue, including those with national forests or Native American reservations in their boundaries. But the longest-ever federal shutdown has put the funding on pause. “Refusal to fulfill your legal and statutory obligations by providing these payments to schools that support core operations is unacceptable and requires your urgent attention,” Evers wrote to McMahon. Most of the affected districts in Wisconsin are in rural areas and operated by tribal nations, Evers said. The halt in funding has sent district leaders scrambling to sort out their finances and keep their doors open, school officials previously told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. School leaders said they also worried delays could stretch even longer after the Trump administration moved to gut the U.S. Department of Education’s workforce, including the majority of employees who oversee the Impact Aid program. Even as the government nears a deal to reopen, it's unclear how the federal education department would process future payments without adequate staff, said Anne O'Brien, a spokesperson for the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools. "The U.S. Department of Education has provided no guidance or timeline for when school districts can expect to receive these payments,” Evers wrote to McMahon. Most federal education dollars are still flowing to local school districts, according to the state Department of Public Instruction. But unlike other federal education funds, Impact Aid is distributed directly to school districts by the U.S. Department of Education. The federal government issued over $24 million in Impact Aid payments to Wisconsin school districts in the 2025 fiscal year, including districts in Bayfield, Ashland, Tomah and Black River Falls, according to the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools. Marcus Denny, superintendent of the Menominee Indian School District, said the district was expecting to receive about $3 million in October, of its total $5 million in Impact Aid for the school year. Impact Aid constitutes about 40% of the district’s annual budget and helps pay for curriculum, teacher salaries and other student resources. Denny said the district was tapping into its general fund -----— and incurring some debt — to pay staff until it receives state aid in December. He said the district also froze spending and canceled professional development programs for staff and field trips for students. Menominee Indian schools serve about 1,000 students, a majority of whom are Native American. Nearly all students in the district are economically disadvantaged, according to the DPI. In his letter, Evers said the Impact Aid delay appears “completely unnecessary and entirely self-inflicted by the Trump administration.” “(The pause) is just the latest in a long list of examples of the real and harmful impacts you and your administration are inflicting on Wisconsin’s kids and schools, particularly those in our rural communities,” Evers told McMahon. “Please take immediate action. Wisconsin kids rely on the resources provided by our schools and funded by this program.” Kayla Huynh covers K-12 education, teachers and solutions at the Journal Sentinel. Reach her at khuynh@gannett.com and follow her on X at @_kaylahuynh. All of her work and coverage decisions are overseen solely by Journal Sentinel editors. Kayla’s position receives support from Kohl Philanthropies and contributions to the Community-Funded Journalism Project. Help continue this reporting with a tax-deductible donation at jsonline.com/support.

Gov. Tony Evers is calling on the leader of the U.S. Department of Education to immediately release federal school aid that has been delayed during the ongoing government shutdown.

In a Nov. 10 letter to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Evers demanded the federal agency send Impact Aid payments to 20 school districts in Wisconsin that were expecting to receive the funding last month. The districts serve over 21,000 children and rely on the money to keep operations running, Evers said.

The federal Impact Aid program supports school districts in places with nontaxable federal land and reimburses them for lost local property tax revenue, including those with national forests or Native American reservations in their boundaries. But the longest-ever federal shutdown has put the funding on pause.

“Refusal to fulfill your legal and statutory obligations by providing these payments to schools that support core operations is unacceptable and requires your urgent attention,” Evers wrote to McMahon.

Most of the affected districts in Wisconsin are in rural areas and operated by tribal nations, Evers said. The halt in funding has sent district leaders scrambling to sort out their finances and keep their doors open, school officials previously told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

School leaders said they also worried delays could stretch even longer after the Trump administration moved to gut the U.S. Department of Education’s workforce, including the majority of employees who oversee the Impact Aid program. Even as the government nears a deal to reopen, it's unclear how the federal education department would process future payments without adequate staff, said Anne O'Brien, a spokesperson for the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools.

"The U.S. Department of Education has provided no guidance or timeline for when school districts can expect to receive these payments,” Evers wrote to McMahon.

Most federal education dollars are still flowing to local school districts, according to the state Department of Public Instruction. But unlike other federal education funds, Impact Aid is distributed directly to school districts by the U.S. Department of Education.

The federal government issued over $24 million in Impact Aid payments to Wisconsin school districts in the 2025 fiscal year, including districts in Bayfield, Ashland, Tomah and Black River Falls, according to the National Association of Federally Impacted Schools.

Marcus Denny, superintendent of the Menominee Indian School District, said the district was expecting to receive about $3 million in October, of its total $5 million in Impact Aid for the school year. Impact Aid constitutes about 40% of the district’s annual budget and helps pay for curriculum, teacher salaries and other student resources.

Denny said the district was tapping into its general fund -----— and incurring some debt — to pay staff until it receives state aid in December. He said the district also froze spending and canceled professional development programs for staff and field trips for students.

Menominee Indian schools serve about 1,000 students, a majority of whom are Native American. Nearly all students in the district are economically disadvantaged, according to the DPI.

In his letter, Evers said the Impact Aid delay appears “completely unnecessary and entirely self-inflicted by the Trump administration.”

“(The pause) is just the latest in a long list of examples of the real and harmful impacts you and your administration are inflicting on Wisconsin’s kids and schools, particularly those in our rural communities,” Evers told McMahon. “Please take immediate action. Wisconsin kids rely on the resources provided by our schools and funded by this program.”

Kayla Huynh covers K-12 education, teachers and solutions at the Journal Sentinel. Reach her at khuynh@gannett.com and follow her on X at @_kaylahuynh. All of her work and coverage decisions are overseen solely by Journal Sentinel editors. Kayla’s position receives support from Kohl Philanthropies and contributions to the Community-Funded Journalism Project. Help continue this reporting with a tax-deductible donation at jsonline.com/support.