Alabama schools stand to lose $68 million in federal grant money, following the Trump administration’s calls to freeze $6.8 billion in congressionally-approved grants for programs such as after-school care, teacher training and education for migrant students. 

The U.S. Department of Education alerted states they were withholding the billions in federal grant dollars, which were set to be available on July 1 — giving school systems just one day of warning, last week while the administration continues to review the grant allocations. There is currently no timeline for how long the review may last or when any grant money will be available. 

“The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities,” the agency said in written communications to states about its plans.

Programs being targeted by the administration’s funding review include:

• Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants, which provides funds for teacher professional education and other initiatives to improve teaching outcomes

• 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which provides funds for afterschool programs and other enrichment opportunities

• Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants, which provide flexible funding for schools to use on enriching student activities

• English Language Acquisition and Migrant Education Grants; which both fund programs aiding the education of migrant children

• Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants, which help fund education programs for adult learners.

The short notice caught school administrators off-guard, according to Alabama state Superintendent Eric Mackey.

“Districts have planned for the 2025-26 school year with an expectation that these formula-based funds would be flowing as normal. Since Congress had appropriated the money in the recent continuing resolution, we had no reason to believe otherwise,” Mackey said in a statement.

Some Alabama education advocates have also voiced concern about how close this funding freeze comes to the start of the 2025-26 school year.

“It’s just so dangerous what they’re doing, and we’re so close to school,” Richard Franklin, president of the Birmingham chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, told the Alabama Reflector. “They don’t have a lot of guidelines to what they’re doing, just to say ‘we’re investigating.’”

“They’re using our kids as political pawns to prove a point politically, when we should all be providing our kids with an education,” Franklin also said.

Alabama top stories in brief 

Millions in campaign contributions funding Alabama gubernatorial, AG campaigns

• Gubernatorial and attorney general campaigns in the state are drawing in millions in campaign contributions according to recent campaign financial report filings.

• U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s gubernatorial campaign has raised more than $4 million in contributions in the five weeks since he announced his candidacy. As of now, he’s on pace to eclipse Gov. Kay Ivey’s fundraising in the 2022 election.

• Most of Tuberville’s contributions have come from small contributions from individuals, but he has received several large contributions as well. His largest contribution so far has been $50,000 from Mobile-based law firm Cunningham Bounds.

• Ken McFeeters, Tuberville’s only Republican competition for the governor’s office, has not filed a campaign financial report yet. Campaigns are only required to file a report once they have raised or spent more than $1,000.

• Meanwhile, Alabama attorney general candidate Katherine Robertson has raised $1.25 million in contributions since announcing her candidacy three weeks ago. $1 million of those contributions come from First Principles Action LLC, a nonprofit organization based in Nashville which was founded by former executive director of the Republican Attorneys General Association Peter Bisbee.

• Robertson has bagged more in contributions than both of her Republican rivals for the office. Former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jay Mitchell has raised $650,000, while Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey has raised $41,140 thus far.

Researchers warn federal cuts to Medicaid could be devastating in Black Belt

• Researchers and advocates are warning that federal cuts to Medicaid could have dramatic effect on Alabama’s Black Belt region, a region with some of the highest percentage of Medicaid enrollees in the state.

• The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” budget bill, which was passed by congress last week, includes nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid. 

• On average, 28% of the population in the 24 counties that make up the Black Belt region receive healthcare through Medicaid, according to Garrett Till, a graduate research assistant with the Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama.

• Additionally, according to a report from the Alabama Medicaid Agency, about 38% of Medicaid funding is allocated to hospitals — which could further exacerbate a trend of rural hospitals closing in the Black Belt, where 27 hospitals are at risk of closing already according to the report.

United Auto Workers seeking to unionize workers at Huntsville automotive plant

• Workers at Huntsville’s International Motors automotive plant may soon be unionized under United Auto Workers.

• UAW has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to represent 220 full- and part-time workers at the plant.

• This push to unionize the Huntsville plant comes as part of the UAW’s $40 million push to unionize plants, with a concerted effort in the South, but also follows failed efforts to unionize a Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa County and a Hyundai plant in Montgomery.

$85 million dam repair delayed while engineers warn of immediate danger

• An $85 million plan to repair the century old Lake Purdy Dam in Shelby County has been put on hold by Birmingham Water Works as their board considers cost-saving options for the project. However, engineers are still urging the board to take immediate action to fortify the dam.

• “Failure of this dam results in possible loss of life,” engineer Patrick Flannelly, a senior vice president at ARCADIS North America, told board members during a work session. “This dam is not safe enough.”

• The board will vote next week on alternative plans, looking to address immediate needs.

University of Montevallo addressing multi-million budget shortfall with tuition raise, staff layoffs

• The University of Montevallo is responding to an $8 million budgetary shortfall by raising their tuition for the first time in seven years and cutting some staff.

• Tuition rates will increase by 3.5% for the 2025-26 academic year, increasing from $403 per credit hour to $417 for undergraduate students.

• Additionally, in an attempt to cut costs, university administration is looking to cut and streamline some academic programs. The university’s Deaf and hard of hearing education program, the only of its kind in the state, was terminated in May, meaning no new students will be admitted to the undergraduate degree program.

Birmingham Zoo’s jaguar is being relocated for ‘species survival plan’

• Khan, an 11-year-old male jaguar that has lived at the Birmingham Zoo since 2017, is moving to Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida as part of a species survival plan for jaguars, which are currently listed as “Near Threatened” with a declining population.

• Both zoos are accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, and provide ethical breeding and housing standards for their animals as part of the species survival plan.

• The Birmingham Zoo says that once Khan leaves, renovations of his former exhibit will begin, and a new jaguar will be transferred from another accredited zoo once they are complete.

Our articles you might have missed:

• In the most recent episode of Alabama Spotlight, Wesley Hyde and Harrison Neville recount their visit to Ava Maria Grotto, a stunning collection of folk art which was the life’s work of Brother Joseph Zoetl. Zoetl spent over 50 years working with concrete and creating Ava Maria Grotto. The conversation discusses not only Zoetl and his work, but also the inescapable sense of wonder that accompanies visitors to the Ava Maria Grotto.

• Check out the companion article on our website, and be sure to listen to the exclusive interview we recorded with Roger Steele, the director of Ava Maria Grotto. 

If you know anyone who would be interested in reading our newsletters, forward this email to them. If someone forwarded this to you, you can subscribe now and have us deliver the Alabama Roundup to your email every week.

You also can always reach us with questions, concerns or potential news tips via [email protected].

Like our work? Then support it!

Want to get early access to columns, unique newsletters and help keep The Sunrise News active? Then support us on Ko-Fi!

Support our work!