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3d ago

Education Department Redirects $495 Million to HBCUs and Tribal Colleges

Officials cite legal concerns over enrollment‑threshold grants to justify a one‑time reprogramming to HBCUs and tribal colleges.

President Donald Trump holds a signed an executive order relating to school discipline policies as Education Secretary Linda McMahon listens in the Oval Office of the White House, April 23, 2025, in Washington.
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Overview

  • The department said the FY2025 shift follows last week’s halt of seven Minority‑Serving Institution grant programs, cutting roughly $350 million it deemed tied to unconstitutional racial or ethnic thresholds.
  • With the infusion, HBCUs are slated to receive more than $1.34 billion this fiscal year and tribally controlled colleges more than $108 million, according to the agency.
  • Education officials will also direct about $60 million more to charter schools, bringing total charter grants to roughly $500 million, and add $137 million to American history and civics grants.
  • The reallocation relies on discretionary reprogramming authority expanded under this year’s stopgap spending law, while former officials and policy experts question whether the move exceeds statutory limits.
  • Reactions were mixed, with HBCU advocates calling the funding a critical boost and other MSI leaders warning of harm to programs for Hispanic‑serving and other institutions as related litigation continues.