By Associated Press

A district judge has put Nevada’s sweeping school choice program on hold just weeks before money was expected to flow to parents for private school tuition.

Carson City District Court Judge James Wilson granted a preliminary injunction Monday that orders the state treasurer to stop implementing Nevada’s new education savings accounts pending further court deliberations.

The Republican-backed program allows parents to claim more than $5,000 in state per-pupil school funds each year and use it for qualified education expenses.

A coalition including Democratic former state Sen. Justin Jones challenged the program with a lawsuit filed in August, saying it would divert money from public schools and could run afoul of the state constitution.

Thousands of families who applied were told they could receive funds by February if courts didn’t object.