North Dakota’s public schools and the students they serve find themselves once again being negatively impacted by political gamesmanship — and it is unacceptable. The recent decision by the U.S. Department of Education to withhold millions in federal education funds from our state is already beginning to damage our schools, shortchange our students, and strain educators who are already doing more with less.

These funds are not a luxury. They are essential resources intended to support low-income students, students with disabilities, and vital programs that help both rural and urban districts thrive. When the federal government withholds this funding, it is not politicians who suffer, it is the kids in our classrooms, especially in communities that rely most on this support.

The Department of Education’s irresponsible action to delay the delivery of resources appropriated by Congress for express educational purposes must not be allowed to stand. Delaying the provision of these funds does nothing but disrupt plans and promote chaos in school districts across North Dakota. School boards, administrators, and teachers have been planning for the 2025-2026 school year for several months. For the administration to withhold suddenly and arbitrarily $26,573,545 from ND’s schools is a travesty and serves only to undermine our state’s great public schools. But maybe that is the point. If it is, it does not reflect well on the Department of Education.

School leaders across the state are already facing difficult choices. This careless decision to withhold funds may cause districts to freeze hiring, increase class sizes, cancel professional development, and/or slash desperately needed programming for our students.

Importantly, this is not a partisan issue. It’s a matter of protecting the future of our children, the quality of our public schools, the recruitment and retention of our teacher workforce, and strengthening our communities.

Federal education dollars belong in our classrooms, not locked up in ideologically partisan limbo. With schools starting in just over a month, we need leadership, and we need it now! That is why we are calling on North Dakotans to contact Senator John Hoeven, Senator Kevin Cramer, and Representative Julie Fedorchak and urge them to work swiftly and decisively with the Department of Education to resolve this needless delay of funds allocated to benefit ND’s school children.

After all, North Dakota’s students should not have to pay the price for the misguided actions at the Department of Education.