Overview:
Congressional lawmakers’ FY 2026 education budget proposal restores funding for Pell Grants, TRIO, Gear Up, and other student aid programs, rejecting the Trump administration’s proposed cuts and efforts to reduce the Department of Education’s role.
This week, both Democratic and Republican congressional lawmakers released a fiscal year 2026 education budget proposal that rejects the Trump administration’s plans to reduce funding for the U.S. Department of Education and eliminate financial aid programs.
The plan is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to “take all necessary steps to close the Department of Education,” as outlined in a March executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon, despite the fact that only Congress has the authority to eliminate the department and amid the administration’s layoffs, grant cuts, and transfer of programs to other agencies.
During the Trump administration’s first year back in office, they have targeted federal and access programs such as TRIO, GEAR UP, and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants.
In 2025, the Trump administration proposed cutting the maximum Pell Grant by about 23 percent to $5,710, arguing it would still cover average in-state community college tuition and fees; however, lawmakers are now seeking to maintain the maximum award at $7,395 through the 2026–27 academic year.
In addition, three key educational access programs: TRIO, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and Gear Up have all had their funding restored or made higher than what was received in 2025.
TRIO, which works with middle school students, would receive $1.2 billion under this proposal, while the FSEOG program, which collaborates with undergraduate students with significant financial need, would receive $910 million. Gear Up, which works with low-income students’ preparation for postsecondary education, would get $388 million.
Funding for Federal Work-Study, which provides part-time jobs to students who need help paying for college, is at $1.2 billion; despite Trump’s plan that would have slashed it by roughly 80% to $250 million.
Despite Trump wanting to cut the Office of Civil Rights under the Department of Education by a third, according to the bill summary on the Senate Appropriations Committee, funding would stay at $140 million under the lawmakers’ proposal.
With Trump moving programs to four other federal agencies, however, Democratic lawmakers wrote in the explanatory statement with this proposal that “no authorities exist for the Department of Education to transfer its fundamental responsibilities,” and funds can not be allocated to other federal agencies. Lawmakers further argued that these interagency agreements made with the Trump administration are not legal and create “new inefficiencies, costs, and risks to funding for states and schools” and threaten “educational outcomes.”
As a compromise with this 2026 budget proposal, the Education Department and the four agencies with which it struck agreements would be required to make biweekly reports to legislators, according to the explanatory statement. Briefings would include information related to the interagency agreements, such as costs, staff transfers, and “metrics on the delivery of services,” and “plans for maintaining high standards of quality and objectivity in grant competitions through multireviewer peer panels.”
Lawmakers have until Jan. 30 to pass the remaining appropriations bills for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1 or risk a partial federal government shutdown. Congress approved a stopgap funding measure in November to avert the most recent shutdown, which became the longest in U.S. history.
