In order to comply with a change in federal policy, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is withholding a $150,000 grant from Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS).
During the February budget hearing, Superintendent Aaron Spence stated that the federal government is withholding funding in the form of a grant from LCPS. This grant is frequently cited as the “Perkins grant,” because it comes from the Perkins V Act that has been an active piece of legislation since 1984. The act sets aside 1.4 billion dollars in order to strengthen and modernize Career Technological Education (CTE) programs in public schools. Funds have previously been used for CTE certifications, equipment improvements, and teacher professional development. The funds are available to both secondary and postsecondary institutions across the country. It was renewed by President Donald Trump in 2018.
The grant was denied to LCPS on the basis of student citizenship. Since August 2025, the US Department of Education (USED) has been requiring that states not use federal funds for undocumented students. On July 11, 2025, USED sent a notification to the VDOE specifically reaffirming that the Perkins grant needs verification of citizenship to be given to a county.
“To comply with the notification…VDOE has developed an attestation that must be completed, signed by the division Superintendent/Community Partner, and returned to the VDOE for inclusion with your 2025 grant application for funding in order for funding to be released,” said the LCPS Budgeting Office.
LCPS did not sign this attestation because it does not collect information about
individual student’s citizenship status.
Spence has been vocal on accepting all students regardless of immigration status.
“The 1982 Supreme Court ruling in Plyler v. Doe guarantees all children, regardless of immigration status, access to public education,” said Spence in a January 2025 public statement, “Additionally, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of student information [regarding citizenship].”
LCPS’s operating funds mainly come from three sources: the county, state, and federal funding. Although federal funds are utilized, the county is mainly responsible for local budgeting. Due to this reliance, The Perkins V Act would only count for ~0.007% of the total budget.
“Historically, our local community has provided about 70% [of our budget] and for FY27, local funds are projected to cover almost 72% of LCPS needs,” stated the LCPS Budgeting office.
The FY27 funding plan proposed by Spence showcases a 5.3% budgeting increase with a 3.3 million decrease in state revenue. This points to a more locally funded budget plan without blatant reliance on federal/state government. This sentiment was supported in the LCPS February budget meeting, in which it was stated that if the final state and federal budget allocate less funding to LCPS, the School Board may request additional local tax funding to maintain a balance.
“The FY27 Budget was developed to balance critical needs with projected resources, rather than as a full needs-based budget. As a result, some important priorities from Board members, staff, and other stakeholders cannot be fully funded this year,” said the LCPS Budgeting Office. “These items, referred to as “unmet needs,” can also be thought of as delayed investments—important initiatives that will be considered in future budgets.”
