Applaud Judge Striking Down Anti-DEI Education Grant Policy

A federal judge has struck down an Education Department policy used to terminate hundreds of millions of dollars in teacher-training grants that the Trump administration said supported diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

The dispute centers on the Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development programs, which provide federal funding for teacher preparation, professional development, and efforts to expand the pipeline of educators. In February 2025, the Education Department issued a directive requiring grants promoting DEI to be terminated, ultimately canceling more than 90% of existing grants in the two programs.

U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley ruled that the directive was “arbitrary and capricious.” She found that the department failed to establish discernible criteria for determining which programs constituted DEI and did not adequately consider the consequences for teachers, students, states, and institutions that relied on the grants.

Eight states challenged the policy after the department canceled roughly $600 million in grants. The Education Department has said the funding should support teacher preparation and student learning rather than what it characterizes as “divisive ideology” or racial preferences.

Add your name to applaud the court ruling striking down the Education Department’s anti-DEI grant policy and requiring federal grant decisions to comply with administrative law.