Judge strikes down Trump anti-DEI initiative that cut $600M in teacher training

A federal judge in Massachusetts struck down a Trump administration anti-diversity, equity and inclusion initiative that resulted in $600 million abruptly cut from K-12 teacher training grants aimed at combating teacher shortages.

Eight states, including California, sued the U.S. Department of Education over its decision to terminate grants in February 2025. It did so with a form letter that offered little specific reason, except to say that the program might promote diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; be fraudulent, abusive or duplicate other programs; or otherwise fail to serve the best interests of the United States.

California lost at least $148 million as a result of these grants being canceled, according to Attorney General Rob Bonta.

U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley wrote in a Sept. 17 order that the U.S. Department of Education’s directive that canceled these grants was “unlawful” as well as “arbitrary and capricious.” Kelley wrote that previous administrations in implementing these grants cited research and responded to public comments about the purpose of diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the teaching field. The Trump administration, Kelley noted, did not identify any new facts, data or studies that would explain why it decided to change course. The administration also did not follow requirements in the law for giving notice or accepting public comments about the proposal, Kelley wrote.

“Department’s hasty implementation of the Directive over less than two weeks, the magnitude of the effects of the termination, as well as the lack of evidence of reasoned decisionmaking in the Administrative Record leave serious doubts as to the Department’s choice to adopt the Directive,” wrote Kelley.

Kelley’s ruling does not restore the grant money, according to the Associated Press. Plaintiffs such as California need to petition the Court of Federal Claims to recover funding, the AP reported.

Kelley’s opinion noted that among the grants terminated were eight for California State University and University of California valued at $56 million that were intended to train thousands of teachers for high-need rural and urban school districts. In the wake of the cancellation, Kelley wrote, teachers for students with special needs in Los Angeles have limited or no opportunities to attend training to meet their students’ specific needs. A teacher-residency program that supported 60 candidates in rural Northern California that struggles with severe teacher shortages was also terminated.

“Since Day One, the Trump Administration has pursued an anti-education agenda, repeatedly attempting to slash funding to undermine teacher training, student mental health, classroom technology, and more,” said Bonta in his statement. “Once again, a court said no.”