California Attorney General Rob Bonta has initiated legal action against the Trump Administration, challenging the abrupt termination of grants intended for K-12 teacher preparation programs. These grants, valued at $148 million in California alone, were aimed at addressing the state's persistent teacher shortage by creating a pipeline for educators in rural and urban areas, especially in hard-to-fill subjects like math and science.
The lawsuit, filed by a multistate coalition led by Bonta, argues that the terminations violate the Administrative Procedure Act due to their immediate effect and lack of warning. The attorneys general are seeking judicial intervention to prevent disruptions to these programs, which they claim would significantly reduce the number of teachers available to serve in schools.
Attorney General Bonta criticized the decision: "The Trump Administration is pursuing an anti-education agenda that would yank teachers out of schools and prevent new teachers-in-training who are close to being ready to serve our students from filling empty classrooms."
California State University Chancellor Mildred García expressed concern over the impact on students and school districts: "The elimination of funding to the Teacher Quality Partnership grants awarded to universities in the California State University system will cause widespread and irreparable harm."
In 2024, more than 400,000 teaching positions nationwide were vacant or filled by uncertified teachers. To combat this issue, Congress had allocated funds through programs like the Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development. These funds were distributed to public universities and nonprofits across states for teacher training and retention efforts.
The Department of Education's decision affects several California institutions:
- **California State University, Los Angeles**: A $7.5 million grant aimed at training community-centered teachers for high-poverty urban schools was terminated.
- **Chico State**: Two grants totaling $10.9 million were cut, impacting teacher residency programs designed for rural areas with chronic shortages.
- **Cal Poly San Luis Obispo**: Grants worth $6.9 million supporting bilingual education and special education training were terminated.
- **University of California, Los Angeles**: An $8 million grant focusing on middle school principal education was ended.
Attorney General Bonta is joined by his counterparts from Massachusetts, New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Wisconsin in this legal challenge.