Kirabo Jackson, professor of education and social policy at Northwestern University and former economic advisor to President Biden, discusses how education policy in the U.S. may shift under the new Trump administration.
In its sixth lawsuit against the Trump administration, California is challenging what it calls the White House’s unlawful termination of grant funding that would have gone to train teachers and address the statewide teacher shortage, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Thursday.
As Pre. Trump was expected to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, nearly $148 million, which had already been appropriated by Congress and committed to California and seven other states, was taken away, according to California’s top lawyer.
“Disheartening and disappointing, yes, but not at all surprising,” Bonta said during a news conference Thursday, explaining the state had counted on the grants to train and prepare teachers, not only for K-12 educators but for those in pipeline programs at state universities, including UCLA and Cal State LA.
“(These are) funds that are critical to getting teachers into rural schools, into urban schools and into hard-to-fill positions, teaching math, teaching science, teaching special education,” Bonta said.
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Bonta warned the termination of the funds would also lead to layoffs and reductions in hours for school staff.
Among the funding cuts, UCLA would lose $8 million, impacting its program that educates middle school principals and those who would be recruited to teach math, science, English and social science at the Los Angeles Unified School District. Bonta’s office said more than 300 educators will be impacted by the loss of the funding.
Cal State LA would also lose $7.5 million for its program which would prepare educators to teach at poverty-stricken areas especially for special education and bilingual curriculums. Nearly 280 teachers and educators in the program would be affected, according to Bonta.
The states that are suing the Trump administration are seeking a temporary restraining order on the terminations of the grants, asking the court to immediately halt the cuts and allow the funding to flow into California and the other states.
A total of $250 million from the states would be taken away through the decision, Bonda said.
The California attorney general predicted there would be more complaints against the Trump administration.
“This may be the latest lawsuit. Unfortunately, I doubt it will be the last."
Trump is expected to sign an executive order calling on Education Secretary Linda McMahon to abolish the agency, a move that experts say would worsen the situation for borrowers. The Wall Street Journal first reported on that expected order.
