HPS Board president responds to loss of federal funding

Hamtramck Public School Board of Education President Abdulmalik Algahaim

By Charles Sercombe
On Wednesday, at about 8 p.m., the Hamtramck School Board president posted his response on social media to President Trump’s administration pulling back $7.2 million in covid response funding to the district.
HPS Board President Abdulmalik Algahaim did not respond to The Review’s inquiry about the Trump administration’s plan to cancel promised funding but posted his response on his own Facebook page but not the district’s Facebook page.
(Algahaim endorsed Trump for president in November’s election.)
HPS Interim Superintendent James Larson-Shidler also did not respond to The Review’s request for comment on the matter, and did not post a response on the district’s Facebook page.
Here is Algahaim’s statement:
“As some of you may have seen in the news, despite previously receiving formal approval from the U.S. Department of Education to expend the remaining $7,248,920 of the district’s ARP ESSER III funds through September 30, 2025, the district was notified that this extension was rescinded effective 5 p.m. on Friday, March 28 by Secretary Linda McMahon.
“The district had relied on the extension to responsibly award contracts for grant-approved window and HVAC projects across our schools. In accordance with the 120-calendar-day reporting window outlined in Secretary McMahon’s memo, the district worked with contractors to verify, update and revise final expenditure data. As a result, the district successfully reduced the remaining unspent ARP ESSER III balance to $3,977,306.97.
“The Michigan Department of Education and the State Attorney General’s Office are working collaboratively to support Hamtramck Public Schools and other impacted districts in reinstating the previously approved extensions.
“In addition, there is a reference to a possible opportunity for districts to re-justify late liquidation based on new federal criteria, which is currently under review by both agencies.”
Posted April 4, 2025