ACT Now Illinois Argues Preliminary Injunction to Halt Unlawful Federal Decision to Discontinue Community Schools Grants

ACT Now Illinois and Metropolitan Family Services argued in support of a motion for preliminary injunction today in federal court seeking to block the U.S. Department of Education’s unlawful non-continuation of two Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) grants totaling $18.5 million annually. This hearing marks the next critical step in the coalition’s ongoing legal fight to protect funding that supports nearly 19,000 students and their families across 32 schools in Illinois.

The hearing, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, comes as the temporary agreement that has kept programs afloat is set to expire June 30. Without preliminary injunctive relief from the court, ACT Now will be forced to cease all FSCS operations on July 1, terminate staff, end contracts with partner schools and community organizations, and dismantle a statewide network built over two years.

“Today’s hearing made clear just how devastating these cuts would be for students and families across Illinois,” said Susan Stanton, Executive Director of ACT Now Illinois. “Schools are facing the loss of essential supports ranging from food pantries to afterschool programs to social workers, which 19,000 children depend on every day. Congress approved these funds for a reason, and we are urging the court to act quickly to prevent lasting harm to our communities.”

In December 2025, the Department of Education abruptly issued notices of non-continuation for both FSCS grants two years into a five-year project period. The Department of Education cited statements about diversity, equity, and inclusion in the plaintiff’s original grant applications as the reason for the decision. The plaintiffs have asked the court to temporarily block the non-continuation notices, restore the grants while the case moves forward, and prevent the Department of Education from discontinuing the grants until the court reaches a final decision.

“The law does not permit the government to reverse course like this without any basis in grant performance,” said Michael Ortega, Program Counsel at the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. “At today’s hearing, we demonstrated that this abrupt change is inconsistent with
both the governing statute, the Department’s own regulations, and basic principles of fairness. Our clients—and the communities they serve—deserve stability while this case is resolved.”

“Today’s hearing highlighted the stakes for students and communities who depend on these programs,” said Josie Eskow Skinner, Partner at Sligo Law Group. “Our clients are delivering exactly what Congress intended with the Full-Service Community Schools program, and we will continue pressing to ensure those services are not unlawfully disrupted.”

“The testimony and arguments today made clear the consequences of this decision are already being felt on the ground,” said Alec Solotorovsky, Partner at Eimer Stahl LLP “Every delay further erodes the staffing, trust, and infrastructure that sustain these programs, putting students in communities across Illinois at serious risk.”

Plaintiffs presented testimony from witnesses detailing the imminent and irreversible harm of allowing the Department’s action to stand. If the court does not grant preliminary relief:

● Over 600 individuals will have their employment jeopardized
● Summer camp programs that keep children safe and allow parents to work will disappear.
● Food pantries, on-site medical services, dental and vision screenings, mental health supports, and family services in 32 schools will go dark.
● 19,000 students — many in Illinois’ highest-poverty rural and urban communities — will permanently lose services keeping them safe, healthy, and focused on school.

Even if funding were later restored, plaintiffs argue rebuilding service delivery infrastructure would take months or years — a timeline children do not have.

“Today’s hearing highlighted the real stakes for our communities,” said Rebecca Kinsey, Community School Supervisor in McLean County. “If these programs are not protected, we lose the safe havens, the meals, and the caring adults in students’ lives, which will have lasting consequences.”

“Thousands of students rely on our Community Schools as a place where they feel supported, safe, and connected,” Stanton said. “In just two years, we’ve made measurable progress—significantly reducing absenteeism, increasing family involvement, and creating stronger school environments. The Department had full visibility into these results and chose to disregard them. What became clear today is just how much students stand to lose if this disruption continues.” The parties now await a ruling from the judge on the motion for preliminary injunction.

ACT Now Illinois is represented in the case by Sligo Law Group PLLC, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, and Eimer Stahl LLP. The case is Afterschool for Children and Teens Now (ACT Now) Coalition and Metropolitan Family Services v. U.S. Department of Education, No. 1:25-cv-15704.

###

ACT Now is a statewide coalition supported by afterschool providers, families, business leaders, school districts, community advocates, youth organizations, and policymakers.