Coalition seeks injunction against Trump administration's education department changes

A coalition of plaintiffs, including the NAACP and other educational organizations, has filed for a preliminary injunction against actions by the Trump administration aimed at dismantling the Department of Education. The legal move seeks to prevent Linda McMahon and the administration from withholding nearly $6.8 billion in education funding allocated to states, which is crucial for local school districts.

The lawsuit, initiated in March by entities such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), public school parents, and others, is supported by Student Defense and Education Law Center (ELC). It challenges several administrative decisions perceived as harmful to students and educational institutions nationwide.

Among these contested actions are the termination of grants essential for recruiting teachers in high-need areas without Congressional approval. Programs like Teacher Quality Partnership and School-Based Mental Health Services have been shut down unlawfully according to the plaintiffs.

Additionally, there are concerns about reduced capacity within the Department to allocate federal formula grant aid correctly due to eliminations within key offices like the Institute of Education Sciences. This could impact future funding calculations for schools significantly.

The coalition also criticizes changes within the Office of Federal Student Aid that undermine student loan forgiveness programs and eligibility certifications for financial aid. Moreover, reductions in regional enforcement offices undercut civil rights protections managed by the Office for Civil Rights.

Supporting their case with over 1,000 pages of evidence and declarations from former education officials such as Miguel Cardona and John King, plaintiffs argue that these measures cause serious harm across educational communities. They seek judicial intervention to ensure statutory obligations towards students are met.

The motion emphasizes a remedy against what it describes as "the serious harm" inflicted on educational stakeholders by recent administrative policies.