Attorney General Bonta Secures Early Court Decision Stopping Trump Administration’s Unlawful Termination of K-12 Teacher Preparation Pipeline Grants

District Court judge issues temporary restraining order 

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today secured a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts temporarily blocking the Trump Administration’s unlawful termination of K-12 teacher preparation pipeline grants while the states seek a preliminary injunction. Attorney General Bonta led a coalition of eight attorneys general in filing a lawsuit challenging the termination of this funding last week.  

“The Trump Administration recklessly and unlawfully terminated grants that had been awarded and obligated to K-12 teacher preparation programs in California and across the country – without any regard for the teachers and students who would pay the price,” said Attorney General Bonta. “This includes $8 million which California universities and colleges planned to use between now and September to make sure our schools have the teachers they need come fall. Today’s decision is a crucial early victory to ensure these grant dollars continue to flow and our kids get the passionate, qualified, good teachers they deserve.” 

BACKGROUND

In 2024, more than 400,000 teaching positions in the U.S. — representing about one in eight of all teaching positions nationwide — were vacant or filled by uncertified teachers. When schools are unable to find qualified teachers, students suffer. Teacher shortages can result in larger class sizes, cancelled courses, or classes staffed with teachers less able to teach a subject.

To address the nationwide teacher shortage, especially for hard-to-fill subject areas, like math, science, and special education, and in hard-to-staff school districts in rural and urban areas, Congress established and allocated funding pursuant to the Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development grant programs to train teachers, create a new teacher pipeline, and improve teacher quality. The U.S. Department of Education subsequently awarded and obligated funds to states’ public universities and associated nonprofits grants under these programs to do exactly what Congress mandated — provide teacher training, placement, and retention, and new teacher pipeline development in the states.

Beginning on February 7, 2025, the Department of Education terminated, with immediate effect, grants awarded to K-12 teacher preparation programs in California and nationwide. Hundreds of millions in grants have been terminated. In California alone, the Department provided notice of termination of grants with a total value of at least $148 million, including at the California State University, Los Angeles; Chico State; Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; and the University of California Los Angeles. These terminations would be felt immediately across California schools who rely on these programs to bring teachers into their classrooms. The terminations would also cause layoffs or reductions in hours for University staff, and result in reduced or eliminated support and funding for new aspiring teachers. 

Attorney General Bonta is leading this lawsuit with Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell and New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin. They are joined by the attorneys general of Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Wisconsin.

A copy of the court order is available here.