Brown Calls for Trump Administration to Restore Millions in Terminated Education Grants for Ohio Students

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) led a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Education calling for millions in terminated federal grants that benefit low-income students be restored. The letter was co-signed by Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Congresswoman Emilia Sykes (OH-13), and Congressman Greg Landsman (OH-01).  

Earlier this month, four Ohio grantees, Akron Public Schools, Cleveland Metropolitan Schools, the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio (ESCNEO), and the Ohio Department of Higher Education, were formally notified by the Department of Education that their funding would be terminated by September 30, 2025. 

The terminated grants were Department of Education GEAR UP awards, a discretionary grant program designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. The funds awarded through this program were appropriated by Congress. 

“Trump’s decision to rob millions from Ohio kids is flat-out wrong. This grant funding was solely intended to help students graduate, get jobs, and build a future. By cutting them, the Trump administration is sabotaging our students’ futures and making Ohio less competitive. We deserve better than Washington turning its back on our students,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown. 

The text of the letter is as follows: 

The Honorable Linda McMahon

Secretary

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20202

Dear Secretary McMahon:

 

As members of the Ohio Congressional delegation, we write to express our deep concern regarding the Department of Education’s recent decision to terminate more than $28 million in Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) funding across the state of Ohio. We urge you to reverse this decision and reinstate funding for these critical programs that directly support Ohio students. 

In Ohio, and across the nation, GEAR UP grants provide essential resources to students from low-income backgrounds, enabling them to prepare for post-secondary success. Through tutoring, mentorship, career exploration and leadership development opportunities, these programs support students by expanding access to career pathways and advanced opportunities. 

On September 12, 2025, GEAR UP programs administered by Akron Public Schools, Cleveland Metropolitan Schools, the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio (ESCNEO), and the Ohio Department of Higher Education were formally notified by the Department of Education that their funding would be terminated by September 30, 2025. Collectively, these four programs in our state service over 16,000 students across more than ten school districts in Ohio. This termination would eliminate more than $28 million in critical support and resources for students. 

The elimination of these programs will have immediate and devastating consequences for students, educators, and the communities that serve them. Thousands of students will lose access to proven supports that foster academic readiness and promote long-term success. Without tutoring, mentorship, career exploration, and leadership development, many students will unnecessarily struggle to graduate, pursue postsecondary education, or obtain stable employment. Moreover, educators will lose essential tools to support students, and communities will face the broader social and economic impacts of lower educational attainment.

For these reasons, we urge you to reverse the termination of the GEAR UP programs administered by Akron Public Schools, Cleveland Metropolitan Schools, the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio (ESCNEO), and the Ohio Department of Higher Education. 

We look forward to your response.  

Sincerely,

[Signatures]

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