Today, Congresswomen Deborah Ross (NC-02) and Valerie Foushee (NC-04) sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon urging the Department to immediately release millions of dollars in federal education funding that is being wrongfully withheld from school districts across the country. In Wake County alone, nearly $8.1 million remains frozen despite having been previously approved by Congress.

In the letter, Congresswomen Ross and Foushee warned that Wake County Public Schools is one of the top 100 districts in the country facing the biggest losses if the Department continues to delay. The withheld funds support core programs that help schools hire and retain teachers, assist students learning English, and provide services like mental health support, school safety, and STEM education.

“The withholding of these funds is already disrupting hiring, delaying program planning, and reducing the capacity of Wake County educators to provide a safe, equitable, and high-quality education,” wrote the lawmakers. “We urge the Department to immediately release all withheld funds, including the approximately $8.1 million owed to Wake County Public Schools, and restore the trust and stability that our public education system urgently needs.”

The full letter is available here.