K-12 Dive

Attorneys general in three states — California, Rhode Island and Wisconsin — sued the U.S. Department of Education on June 9, saying the agency unlawfully discontinued grants in those states that fund professional development of special education staff and support services for students with disabilities. The lawsuit claims the cancellation of the states’ grants in September and December 2025 was because they conflicted with the Trump administration’s priorities that “include a reflexive hostility to any reference, no matter how fleeting, to diversity, equity, or inclusion.” The Education Department has canceled several other K-12 grant programs over the past year that it said don’t align with Trump administration priorities and executive orders. That includes programs funding mental health supports in schools and professional development for teachers of English learners.