A federal judge has ruled in favor of restoring federal grants that were previously terminated by the Education Department under the Trump administration’s initiative to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The grants, totaling $600 million, were aimed at helping to place teachers in underserved schools and fund programs that train and certify educators to work in struggling districts.
Judge Julie R. Rubin of the Federal District Court for the District of Maryland deemed the department’s decision to cut the grants as arbitrary and illegal. The programs supported by these grants focused on training a diverse workforce of educators, including special education training, and aimed to address the teacher shortage in high-need areas.
The Education Department, led by Secretary Linda McMahon, argued that the grants promoted “social justice activism” and other “divisive ideologies” and therefore should be eliminated. However, a coalition of educator organizations, including the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and the National Center for Teacher Residencies, filed a lawsuit to stop the termination of these grants.
In her ruling, Judge Rubin highlighted the detrimental impact that the loss of federal funding would have on students and schools with limited resources. She emphasized the importance of these programs in providing teachers for high-need neighborhoods, early childhood education, and special education programs.
The grants, which are part of the Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) program and the Teacher Quality Partnership Program, are competitive and help states establish specialized college programs to train educators for placement in schools facing literacy rates or performance gaps.
For example, Miami-Dade County received a significant grant to partner with Miami Dade College and Miami-Dade County Public Schools to train teachers and address teacher shortages. Sacred Heart University in Connecticut also received funding to recruit teachers of color and address teacher shortages in local schools.
The preliminary injunction issued by Judge Rubin covers the Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program, which provides financial incentives for educators who successfully close achievement gaps in high-need schools. While the injunction does not apply nationwide, it requires the Education Department to reinstate funding for the affected programs.
Overall, Congress has allocated over $200 million to fund these programs in the past, with the recent continuing resolution giving the Education Department more discretion in how to allocate these funds. The ruling serves as a victory for diversity, equity, and inclusion in education and ensures that vital resources are available to support students and schools in need.
