What to know about the Trump administration's order to end DEI programs at schools

Los Angeles Times

18-02-2025

Good morning. Here's what you need to know to start your day.
The U.S. Department of Education recently announced that schools and colleges must eliminate race-specific programs by the end of the month or risk losing federal funding, my colleague Jaweed Kaleem reports.
The sweeping order sent educators in California and across the nation scrambling over the holiday weekend to understand how their academic institutions could be impacted. It comes at a time when many schools are already on alert as President Trump vows to dismantle the Department of Education.
Here's a brief look at how the order could affect students, how much federal money goes to California schools and why the Trump administration believes there's a legal precedent for eliminating race-related programs.
Financial aid, scholarships and graduation ceremonies are among the programs targeted
The Department of Education's order was disclosed in a Feb. 14 letter that laid out a new federal anti-discrimination enforcement policy, my colleague Jaweed reports.
The new policy goes beyond existing instances in which it is illegal to consider race, such as in hiring and admissions. It also includes common practices often considered uncontroversial, education and legal experts told Jaweed.
They include things like scholarships for racial minorities, culturally themed dorm floors and optional graduation ceremonies for Black, Latino, Native American and other college and high school groups.
The guidelines, however, do not mention school initiatives that appeal to nonracial groups, such as women, LGBTQ+ students and religious communities.
The order is rooted in the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to end affirmative action
The Department of Education's letter cites the Supreme Court's 2023 decision that using race as a factor in student admissions is unconstitutional. While that case only addressed admissions, the department argued the court's ruling set a new legal precedent.
'At its core, the test is simple: If an educational institution treats a person of one race differently than it treats another person because of that person's race, the educational institution violates the law,' the letter stated.
Shaun Harper, a USC professor of education, public policy and business, said that interpretation is an overreach.
'The Supreme Court did not outlaw race-conscious campus programs and resources. Instead it ruled that race can't be used as a factor in determining admission,' Harper told Jaweed.
California received about $16.3 billion in total federal funding last year
That's according to the Education Data Initiative, which compiles information from government sources. California has 5.8 million K-12 public school students, according to the group.
At the college level, more than $1.5 billion is allocated each year from the department to California students through Pell Grants, which do not have to be repaid and are awarded to students with low family incomes.
The letter did not specify what types of federal funds for schools and colleges are at risk.
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