The U.S. Department of Education has scrapped nearly $1 billion in grants and contracts that funneled taxpayer money into ideologically driven programs instead of genuine teacher training and education reform. The decision includes the termination of $600 million in so-called “teacher training grants” that promoted left-wing race and gender ideologies, as well as an additional $350 million in contracts and grants previously awarded to Regional Educational Laboratories and Equity Assistance Centers.
$600 Million in “Divisive Teacher Training” Grants
The $600 million grants, originally meant to support teacher preparation programs, were instead used to push controversial concepts like Critical Race Theory (CRT), Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and social justice activism in classrooms. Training materials included content that emphasized race-based hiring and discipline policies, requiring educators to “dismantle racial bias,” engage in “equity audits,” and adopt “abolitionist pedagogies” in teaching. Rather than focusing on improving teacher competency in reading, writing, and math, these taxpayer-funded programs encouraged ideological reeducation for educators.
$350 Million in Canceled Contracts in “Woke” Spending
Prior to this, the Department of Education had already canceled $350 million in contracts with Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) and Equity Assistance Centers that were promoting similar ideologies. Ten contracts totaling $336 million were cut from the RELs, which were supposed to support applied research and technical assistance but were instead found engaging in wasteful spending. For instance, the Regional Educational Laboratory Midwest had been advising schools in Ohio to conduct “equity audits” and racial training programs rather than focusing on measurable improvements in student achievement.
Another $33 million in grants was eliminated from four Equity Assistance Centers, which had been funding “divisive” DEI training programs for state and local education agencies, school boards, and administrators. These programs promoted Critical Race Theory and gender identity discussions rather than supporting student learning, according to the Trump administration.
President Trump Plans for the Department of Education (DOE)
By cutting these grants and contracts, the Department of Education has taken a significant step toward redirecting taxpayer dollars away from ideological activism and back toward improving education quality. However, the fight is far from over, as activist groups are expected to push for reinstating such programs under different names or pursue litigation in the courts.
President Trump has long advocated for reducing the federal government’s role in education, emphasizing school choice and parental control over curricula. During his first term, he nominated Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education, a strong proponent of charter schools and private school vouchers. His administration sought to expand school choice programs, cut federal education spending, and roll back Obama-era regulations. In his second term, Trump has proposed eliminating the Department of Education altogether, arguing that education decisions should be left to states and local communities. His platform continues to focus on expanding school choice, combatting “woke” ideology in schools, and protecting parental rights in education. He has nominated former WWE Executive, Linda McMahon to run the DOE with the hopes of putting herself out of a job.
Trump’s plan to dismantle the Department of Education includes transferring key responsibilities to other agencies: civil rights enforcement to the Justice Department, student loan programs to the Treasury Department, and educational research to the Census Bureau. Additionally, the proposal calls for phasing out Title I funding, which currently exceeds $18 billion, and converting IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) funding into state-administered block grants. The overall goal is to reduce federal involvement in education and shift decision-making power to states and local communities.
