Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde lifted a hiring freeze on central administration positions after the federal government gave billions of dollars back to public schools last week.
The Trump administration announced it would release billions of dollars in grants to schools for adult literacy, English language instruction and other programs, the Education Department said Friday.
Federal officials withheld $6 billion in funding on July 1 as part of a review to ensure spending aligned with the White House’s priorities.
Related:Education Department says it will release billions in withheld grant money for schools
The Education Lab
The funding freeze had been challenged by several lawsuits as educators, members of Congress from both parties and others called for the administration to release the money. Congress had appropriated the funds in a bill signed this year by Trump.
“I appreciate all of the elected officials and the state officials who really voiced their concerns,” Elizalde said.
School superintendents warned they would have to eliminate academic services without the money.
In Dallas, the funding freeze would have left schools with a $22 million hole. The money covered roughly 150 staff positions.
Related:Dallas ISD left with $22 million gap after Trump education funding freeze
When Elizalde discussed the situation with the Dallas Morning News Editorial Board earlier this month, she was measured. She said she expected to use money from the district’s general operating budget to protect the impacted staff positions. DISD operates on a roughly $1.9 billion budget.
To save money, she instituted a brief freeze on nonessential hiring for central administration roles. That will now end.
“We will be made whole on that $22 million,” Elizalde said.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.
The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, Judy and Jim Gibbs, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Ron and Phyllis Steinhart, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks, and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.