Trump Administration Mandates Schools to Eliminate DEI Programs Under Threat of Funding Cuts
The Trump administration requires K-12 schools to certify compliance with federal civil rights laws or risk losing federal funding, targeting DEI initiatives.
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State and local education agencies must certify compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the precedents set in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard to avoid losing federal funding.
Trump Administration Threatens US Public School Funding Over DEI
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Federal funding makes up an average of around 10 percent of public school funding, with some states receiving more and others less.
Trump admin threatens to withhold funds from schools that don’t drop DEI programs
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The education department memo on Thursday did not specify which DEI programs would be targeted, and the administration has struggled to define which initiatives would violate its new policy.
Trump administration threatens to withhold funding from schools with DEI programs
The Guardian·17d·ReliableThis source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.Leans LeftThis outlet slightly leans left.It’s the latest escalation against DEI policies, apparently giving the Republican administration a new lever for terminating federal money.
K-12 schools must sign certification against DEI to receive federal money, administration says
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But the memo does seem to demonstrate a greater understanding than previous guidance issued by the Education Department that DEI programs need to be discriminatory to be illegal.
Trump administration gives states 10 days to certify they've ended DEI in schools
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Summary
The Trump administration has mandated that K-12 schools certify compliance with federal civil rights laws, threatening to withhold federal funding for non-compliance, particularly targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. State education officials have 10 days to confirm elimination of DEI initiatives, linking compliance to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and recent Supreme Court rulings. The Department of Education views certain DEI practices as discriminatory, prompting concerns from educators and legal experts regarding the vague definitions of impermissible programs. Consequences for non-compliance could include the loss of Title I funding, which helps low-income schools.
Perspectives
The Trump administration has mandated that K-12 public schools certify their compliance with federal civil rights laws and eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices to avoid losing federal funding.
Schools have 10 days to comply with the certification that there are no contraventions of laws regarding race and discrimination, particularly following the Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard ruling.
Federal funding, which constitutes a significant part of school budgets, is contingent upon adherence to federal mandates against discrimination based on race or identity characteristics.
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