A federal judge rules the U.S. Department of Education cannot slash funding for teacher training programs based on the Trump administration’s assessment that some efforts promote “divisive” or DEI-related ideologies. The decision halts a planned reduction of about $600 million tied to the Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development grant programs.
The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley, says the administration’s 2025 funding cuts are “arbitrary and capricious” and that the Education Department does not provide a clear definition or criteria for what qualifies as a DEI-linked program. The judge also notes that the targeted grants included topics described as addressing racism and anti-racism, and frames the actions as inconsistent with the legal limits on terminating grants over such characterizations.
Across reporting, outlets describe the broader policy context as part of the administration’s early efforts to roll back DEI initiatives in education. One account also notes that similar grant-related actions were temporarily blocked by a court earlier after Democratic-led states sued, while other legal proceedings continued in parallel.
