ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - More than $200 million in federal education grants expected to reach Georgia by July 1 remain on hold, leaving after-school programs across the state in limbo and raising concerns among students, parents and lawmakers.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the White House Office of Management and Budget said the freeze is tied to concerns that some federal education grants may have been misused to subsidize a “radical left-wing agenda.” They point to examples in New York and Washington State. No specific allegations have been made against Georgia programs.

The grants, part of the federally funded 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, support free after-school and summer enrichment for students in low-performing schools or high-poverty areas. That includes programs at the Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCAs, and public schools.

“I’ve been in almost every hood and I’ve seen firsthand the impact of the streets — crime, desperation,” said Da-Shawn Catron, a junior at Benjamin E Mays High School. “These programs take away those negative things and give us something positive.”

Catron is among the 1.4 million children and teens nationwide who benefit from the federally funded programs. He credits the Boys & Girls Club with changing his life.

“They gave me a vision beyond my circumstances,” Catron said. “They taught me how to dream and how to work to make those dreams real.”

If federal funding remains frozen, some providers warn they could be forced to shut their doors in as little as three to five weeks, the Associated Press reported.

In a statement, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta called the funding freeze “unprecedented” and warned of serious consequences for local communities.

“If 21st Century Community Learning Center funds are blocked — approximately $1.7 million in total for local clubs — the fallout will impact six of 25 Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta’s afterschool sites and more than 500 young people,” the organization said. “They will lose access to vital foundations such as nutritious meals, supportive mentors and safe spaces during the most crucial hours of the day.”

While summer programs remain fully funded, the organization is calling on the White House and Congress to release the funds before the school year begins.

“We remain hopeful that federal funding will be restored in time to open our Blue Doors in August,” the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta said in a statement. “America’s future depends on how we show up for its kids, especially right now.”

Georgia lawmakers are now urging action at the state level.

State Sen. Reshaun Kemp, a former educator, is calling on Gov. Brian Kemp to leverage his political ties to help break the stalemate.

“Our governor and our president have conversations about choosing a Senate candidate,” Kemp said. “So they absolutely have the connection to do what’s right for Georgia children.”

“While we cannot comment on the federal government’s review of these specific funds, under Gov. Kemp’s leadership, Georgia has fully funded K-12 education for several years in a row, invested in new school buses and security upgrades, and raised teacher pay by nearly $9,000 per year. All told, we are spending more on education than we ever have before,” a spokesperson for the governor said in a statement.

Meanwhile, parents like Keisha Spells said the uncertainty is frustrating.

“It’s just disheartening to know that everybody’s playing games with children,” Spells said. “And these same children have to care for us down the road.”

More than two dozen Democrat-led states filed a lawsuit Monday demanding that the Trump administration release the education grants immediately.

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