"Dept of Education Ends Grants for Minority-Serving Institutions: Backlash and Legal Battles Ahead"

The top story from the Department of Education this week is a sweeping move to end discretionary grant funding for Minority-Serving Institutions. In a bold statement, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon declared that “discrimination based upon race or ethnicity has no place in the United States." This decision, announced just days ago, follows the recent legal determination that grant programs requiring specific racial or ethnic enrollment percentages—like the Hispanic-Serving Institutions initiative—are unconstitutional. What’s changing? The department will no longer award new grants or continue existing discretionary payments to a range of programs supporting Hispanic, Black, Asian American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Native American-serving institutions. However, the department clarified it will release about $132 million in mandatory funds that Congress requires by law, but all other discretionary funding is being reprogrammed to priorities that do not use racial or ethnic criteria. Historically Black colleges and tribal colleges are unaffected by this action. Grant recipients have already been notified that existing awards will not continue, and new applications for fiscal year 2025 will not be funded. Secretary McMahon emphasized that “diversity is not merely the presence of a skin color,” stating the department will work with Congress to design new supports for schools serving under-resourced students—without using racial quotas. The administration’s position is that every student should be judged by their merits and capacities as individuals. The fallout is significant. For students and families, especially those attending institutions now losing federal support, this sudden pivot may limit access to resources and support programs designed to close achievement gaps—at least in the short term. Many school leaders and advocates are raising concerns over how these changes could widen disparities. Meanwhile, some states are aligning preemptively with the administration’s push, which could further solidify shifts away from equity and diversity initiatives, even though many of these moves are entangled in ongoing legal battles. The context for these actions is a broader set of Trump administration efforts to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion—known as DEI—protections in both K-12 and higher education. In February, the Department issued guidance that characterized race-conscious programs as illegal. However, this was quickly challenged in federal court, and by August, a judge vacated that guidance as unlawful. Still, at least 21 states indicated they would comply with new federal standards, while nineteen states are in active litigation to push back. It’s a turbulent time for higher education leaders, too. According to Inside Higher Ed, many advocates argue the Department lacks the authority to withhold these funds, warning of confusion and instability for colleges that depend on that support. The legal status remains unce This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.