Flint school officials won’t have to return COVID funds, officials say

FLINT, Mich. — Despite reports, Flint Community Schools (FCS) says it is not losing or being asked to return millions in unspent COVID-19 relief funds.

On March 28, 2025, just after 5 p.m., U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon sent a letter to 27 Michigan school districts announcing an abrupt change to COVID-19 relief funding policy.

The letter stated that the deadline for reimbursement requests for Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) and American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds had been moved up to that same day—March 28, 2025. Previously, districts had until March 28, 2026, to submit reimbursement claims for pre-approved projects.

Concerns quickly spread after initial reports indicated Flint Community Schools could lose $15.6 million in unallocated federal funding.

Superintendent Kevelin Jones addressed concerns that FCS was being asked to return millions in unspent Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds, in a statement released on April, 2.

“Some misunderstandings have suggested that Flint Community Schools is losing or being asked to return $15.6 million of unspent ESSER funds,” Jones said. “I want to be very clear: we have not been notified of any federal request to return funds, and all ESSER 3 funds have been allocated and spent responsibly in compliance with federal and state guidelines, as well as deadlines met, by Flint Community Schools.”

Jones also says the district is working closely with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to ensure that our district is not impacted by this policy change.

The MDE has pledged to work with affected districts to find alternative funding solutions.

State Superintendent Michael F. Rice, Ph.D. and State Board of Education President Pamela Pugh, DrPH both issed statements on the Department of Education’s decision.

“Walking back a federal commitment to pandemic relief funds to improve the air quality, healthfulness, and safety of schools coming out of the pandemic is unacceptable,” Rice said. “These funds were approved to be spent on projects including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, boilers, and windows.”

Rice warned that districts may have to cut instructional spending for students, draw from savings or both to fulfill these contracts.

Pugh underscored the disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities, saying districts like Flint, Pontiac and Benton Harbor—hit especially hard by COVID-19—could suffer the most. She called the decision a failure to serve schoolchildren and said it jeopardizes projects aimed at improving health and safety conditions in schools.

Flint Board of Education Trustee Terae King Jr. addressed the issue on Facebook, emphasizing that all funds had been used appropriately.

“The truth is simple: Our district was allotted $15.6 million and reimbursed for $14.2 million, all spent responsibly under federal guidelines,” King wrote.

The U.S. Department of Education said districts can apply for individual project-specific extensions, but it remains unclear how many—if any—of those requests will be approved.

As Flint and other districts await further clarification, education leaders continue to push for a reversal of the decision. Advocates are urging Michigan’s congressional delegation, including U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, to intervene and ensure that previously approved commitments are honored.