California Attorney General Rob Bonta has secured a temporary restraining order from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, halting the Trump Administration's termination of K-12 teacher preparation pipeline grants. This decision comes as states pursue a preliminary injunction against the funding cuts.
Attorney General Bonta, leading a coalition of eight attorneys general, filed a lawsuit last week challenging the termination of these grants. "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. He emphasized that $8 million intended for California universities and colleges was at stake, which would have supported schools in hiring qualified teachers by fall.
In 2024, there were over 400,000 vacant or uncertified teaching positions in the U.S., highlighting a significant teacher shortage. The Teacher Quality Partnership and Supporting Effective Educator Development grant programs were established by Congress to address this issue by training teachers and creating new pipelines.
However, on February 7, 2025, the Department of Education abruptly terminated these grants nationwide. In California alone, at least $148 million worth of grants were affected. This includes funding for institutions such as California State University, Los Angeles; Chico State; Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; and the University of California Los Angeles.
The lawsuit is being led by Attorney General Bonta alongside Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell and New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin. They are joined by attorneys general from Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Wisconsin.