By Liz Nass
Gongwer News Service
Attorney General Dana Nessel and 19 other attorneys general settled an agreement with President Donald Trump’s administration to prevent withholding federal funding from education agencies that refuse to abandon certain programs and policies.
The attorneys general claim the programs that put funding at risk, like DEI and other policies they say promote equal access to education in K-12 education, comply with historical Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 interpretations, which the states say were changed by Trump and his administration in April last year.
Michigan refused to certify its compliance the U.S. Department of Education’s new requirements, as they said there was no lawful way to do so given “the department’s vague, contradictory, and unsupported interpretation of Title VI.”
Nessel and other states first filed a lawsuit on these new conditions in April claiming the misinterpretation violated Congress’ role of allocating money to state and local education. Another lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland obtained a victory that blocked the certification of compliance terms.
The new agreement resolves this lawsuit and prevents any more withholding of funds, which stands at around $1 billion just in Michigan.
“Our educational agencies cannot be expected to comply with illegal and appalling attacks on equal access to learning for our students,” Nessel said in a statement. “I am relieved that the Trump administration abandoned its attempt to withhold vital education funding after we filed our lawsuit. Time and again, my colleagues and I have had to intervene to stop unlawful federal actions. Without those interventions, billions of dollars would be wrongfully taken from residents in Michigan and across the country, and I remain committed to protecting the resources our students, families, and communities depend on.”
The funding protected includes funds for low-income students, recruiting and training for teachers, programs for non-native speakers to learn English and providing support to children in foster care or without housing.
Gongwer News Service
Attorney General Dana Nessel and 19 other attorneys general settled an agreement with President Donald Trump’s administration to prevent withholding federal funding from education agencies that refuse to abandon certain programs and policies.
The attorneys general claim the programs that put funding at risk, like DEI and other policies they say promote equal access to education in K-12 education, comply with historical Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 interpretations, which the states say were changed by Trump and his administration in April last year.
Michigan refused to certify its compliance the U.S. Department of Education’s new requirements, as they said there was no lawful way to do so given “the department’s vague, contradictory, and unsupported interpretation of Title VI.”
Nessel and other states first filed a lawsuit on these new conditions in April claiming the misinterpretation violated Congress’ role of allocating money to state and local education. Another lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland obtained a victory that blocked the certification of compliance terms.
The new agreement resolves this lawsuit and prevents any more withholding of funds, which stands at around $1 billion just in Michigan.
“Our educational agencies cannot be expected to comply with illegal and appalling attacks on equal access to learning for our students,” Nessel said in a statement. “I am relieved that the Trump administration abandoned its attempt to withhold vital education funding after we filed our lawsuit. Time and again, my colleagues and I have had to intervene to stop unlawful federal actions. Without those interventions, billions of dollars would be wrongfully taken from residents in Michigan and across the country, and I remain committed to protecting the resources our students, families, and communities depend on.”
The funding protected includes funds for low-income students, recruiting and training for teachers, programs for non-native speakers to learn English and providing support to children in foster care or without housing.
