By MORIAH BALINGIT, AP Education Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Education Department to undo a freeze on the last of the U.S. relief money given to schools to help students recover academically from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The federal government provided $189 billion in aid money for schools during the crisis, giving them broad latitude in how to spend it.

Nearly all that money had been spent, but some school districts received deadline extensions that gave them additional time to use it. Districts spent it on things like after-school tutoring, summer school, social workers, college counselors, library books and renovations to make school buildings safer.

On March 28, Education Secretary Linda McMahon sent a letter to school officials saying she had moved the deadline up — to that very day. She said the department would consider releasing some funds, but only on a project-by-project basis.

“Extending deadlines for COVID-related grants, which are in fact taxpayer funds, years after the COVID pandemic ended is not consistent with the Department’s priorities,” McMahon said.

Officials in sixteen states and the District of Columbia sued in response, leading to Tuesday’s order from U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos in New York City.

Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has unilaterally cut education funding and downsized the Education Department, leading to numerous legal challenges. The Trump administration also cut teacher-training programs that helped rural schools combat educator shortages and has threatened to withhold funding from schools with diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.