Overview

• The Trump administration issued a directive requiring states to certify the removal of DEI programs in schools to maintain federal funding eligibility.
• Title I funding, supporting high-poverty schools, as well as funds for students with disabilities and Head Start programs, are at risk.
• Colorado and New Jersey are reviewing the directive, while New York has refused to comply, and Chicago is weighing legal action.
• The directive relies on the administration’s interpretation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and a recent Supreme Court affirmative action ruling.
• Critics argue the directive could disproportionately harm low-income and marginalized students, with billions of dollars in funding at stake nationwide.