Federal judge strikes down Trump order cutting nearly $600M in teacher-training funds

WASHINGTON, DC: A federal judge on Thursday, September 17, struck down a 2025 Trump administration directive that led to the cancellation of about $600 million in federal teacher-training grants.

US District Judge Angel Kelley ruled that the Education Department violated federal law and acted arbitrarily when it terminated the federal funding. The grants, which supported more than 100 programs, had been targeted by the administration over what officials described as “divisive ideologies,” including diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Judge says Education Department failed to follow federal law

The Education Department had announced the grant cuts last year in February, affecting programs funded directly through the Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development programs. The grants were intended to support teacher preparation and address shortages, including in areas such as math, science and special education.

Kelley found that the administration’s directive was issued without following legal requirements for notice and public comment. She also said the Education Department failed to account for the extent to which states, students, teachers and school leaders relied on the grants.

The judge wrote that the administration’s decision was “hasty” and did not adequately consider the consequences of terminating the programs.

"In short, the reliance interests are many, substantial, and deep-rooted," Kelley wrote.

The case was brought by eight Democratic-led states, which argued that the grant cancellations were connected to the administration’s broader effort to eliminate DEI programs. The states said the funding supported teacher-development programs designed to address shortages and improve teacher retention.

According to the ruling, more than 90% of the grants awarded through the two programs were terminated under the directive, affecting 109 grants in total. Forty of those grants went to universities and other institutions in the states involved in the lawsuit.

The Education Department had argued that some of the programs promoted or participated in DEI initiatives that the administration considered inconsistent with federal policy.

Supreme Court previously allowed cuts to proceed

Before Kelley’s ruling, the Supreme Court had also intervened in the case in April last year. The justices allowed the Trump administration to continue terminating the grants while the legal challenge proceeded, putting a previous lower-court order blocking the cuts on hold.

The Supreme Court’s decision did not resolve whether the Education Department’s underlying policy was lawful. The Trump administration had argued that recipients would not suffer irreparable harm from the funding being withheld, while dissenting justices disputed that assessment and warned that programs could be forced to shut down.

The grants at issue were awarded under the Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development programs. States involved in the lawsuit argued that the programs helped prepare teachers for high-need subjects and supported efforts to keep educators in the profession.

Kelley’s ruling also made clear that the decision does not automatically restore the canceled grant money. The judge said claims seeking recovery of the lost funding must be brought before the US Court of Federal Claims.