Federal government rescinds funding for PBS children's programming by DOE.

The Axe Falls on PBS and NPR Funding: A New Chapter

The White House's push to slash funding for public broadcasting stations like NPR and PBS is gaining momentum. On a Tuesday statement, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) revealed that the Department of Education had axed a federal grant program that had been backing these stations for years.

The axed program, dubbed Ready To Learn, was a key source of funding for children's educational shows and games on PBS Kids. The abrupt cancellation of this program resulted in a staggering loss of $23 million that would have been allocated to these educational resources. The initial grant for this program was awarded by the Trump administration in 2020.

Patricia Harrison, the head honcho at the CPB, voiced her discontent with the move, claiming that most parents have their kids glued to shows funded by this program. She expressed her determination to work with Congress and the administration to ensure the continuation of funding for this crucial program.

Historically, the Ready To Learn grant has been administered by the CPB and allocated to PBS and local stations. It has funded popular children's programs like "Sesame Street," "Reading Rainbow," and "Clifford the Big Red Dog." This five-year grant was set to expire at the end of September.

In a statement, Madi Biedermann, a Department of Education spokesperson, claimed that the Ready To Learn grants were used to fund "racial justice educational programming."

"The Trump Department of Education will prioritize funding that supports meaningful learning and improving student outcomes, not divisive ideologies and woke propaganda," the statement read.

Last week, the White House unleashed an executive order, mandating the CPB and federal agencies to halt funding to NPR and PBS immediately. Both organizations vowed to resist this order, arguing that it would leave millions of Americans without news and educational programming.

This order marked the culmination of a long-standing GOP campaign to weaken public media in the United States. In recent months, Republicans have proposed bills to defund NPR and PBS and have even attempted to seize congressional funding for these organizations. Last week, the White House tried to oust board directors for the CPB, a move that the corporation fiercely opposed in court.

Did you know?

The Ready To Learn federal grant program, which has been underpinning PBS Kids programming and literacy initiatives nationwide since 1995, was terminated by the US Department of Education in 2022 as part of a broader funding crackdown on public media and educational grants. The elimination of this grant, which had been supporting early learning resources and literacy efforts at various public media stations across multiple states, including those owned by VPM Media Corporation in Virginia, was announced by VPM President and CEO Jayme Swain.

The termination of the grant seems to align with the Department of Education's broader efforts to reduce or restructure funding for programs associated with public media, and to consolidate or cut various educational grants. This aligns with a general pattern under the Trump administration, which proposed significant cuts to many federal education programs, particularly those aimed at supporting low-income, minority, or specialized student populations, as well as public media initiatives.

The abrupt cancellation of the Ready To Learn federal grant program in 2022, a vital source of funding for children's educational shows and games on PBS Kids, resulted in a loss of $23 million.
The termination of the Ready To Learn grant seems to align with the Department of Education's broader efforts to reduce or restructure funding for programs associated with public media, and to consolidate or cut various educational grants.
The White House's push to slash funding for public broadcasting stations like PBS and NPR is not new, as Republicans have proposed bills to defund these organizations and have attempted to seize congressional funding for them.
In a statement, Madi Biedermann, a Department of Education spokesperson, claimed that the Ready To Learn grants were used to fund "racial justice educational programming."
The elimination of the Ready To Learn grant was announced by VPM President and CEO Jayme Swain, and it had been supporting early learning resources and literacy efforts at various public media stations across multiple states.