A closely divided Supreme Court has handed a victory to the Trump administration, allowing officials to continue blocking $65 million in teacher development grants that had been paused over concerns they were promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices.
In a narrow 5-4 decision, the Court approved the administration’s emergency request to halt a lower court ruling that had ordered the Department of Education to resume the grants in eight states led by Democratic governors. The ruling means the administration can keep the funding on hold while ongoing legal appeals play out.
Five of the Court’s six conservative justices sided with the administration. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the three liberal justices in dissent, signaling division even among the conservative bloc.
The ruling is not a final decision on the legality of the funding freeze, but it does give the Trump administration the green light to keep the grants suspended for now. The issue may return to the high court for a full hearing once lower courts weigh in further.
In its brief, unsigned opinion, the majority wrote, “Respondents have represented in this litigation that they have the financial wherewithal to keep their programs running. So, if respondents ultimately prevail, they can recover any wrongfully withheld funds through suit in an appropriate forum.”
The case revolves around two federal grant programs: the Teacher Quality Partnership Program and the Supporting Effective Educator Development Program, both designed to address teacher shortages and support the development of high-quality educators. The Trump administration began pulling back on these disbursements in February, claiming the programs had been co-opted by what they view as ideological DEI initiatives.
Critics argue that the freeze targets programs aimed at expanding access to quality education and improving outcomes for underserved students. Supporters within the administration describe it as part of a broader campaign to dismantle what they call politically driven federal programs.
The move also aligns with the administration’s larger effort to overhaul or dismantle the Department of Education, led by Education Secretary Linda McMahon, who has been pushing for deep cuts and structural changes since returning to government in Trump’s second term.
For now, schools and organizations in the affected states remain in limbo uncertain whether the funding they relied on will be restored. And while this decision doesn’t permanently end the grants, it adds another chapter to the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to scale back federal involvement in education, especially in areas tied to equity and inclusion.