Attorney General Kris Mayes, alongside a coalition of 20 attorneys general, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The legal action aims to halt plans to dismantle the Department of Education (ED). The Trump administration announced on March 11 its intention to reduce ED's workforce by approximately 50% as part of a strategy for what it described as a "total shutdown" of the department.
Attorney General Mayes criticized this move, stating, “Let’s not pretend this is about making government more efficient. It is not. It is destruction.” She further argued that the plan was less about improving education policy and more about dismantling public education for privatization.
The Department of Education serves nearly 18,200 school districts and over 50 million K-12 students across approximately 98,000 public schools and 32,000 private schools nationwide. Its programs also support over 12 million postsecondary students annually. Federal funds from ED provide critical services such as assistive technology for students with disabilities, teacher salaries and benefits, transportation services, physical therapy, speech therapy services, and social workers.
The lawsuit contends that dismantling ED would have severe repercussions for states like Arizona. According to Attorney General Mayes and her coalition partners, the proposed layoffs would incapacitate ED's ability to perform essential functions. They argue that these actions would deprive students with special needs of vital resources and undermine ED’s Office of Civil Rights. Additionally, financial aid processing could be hampered, complicating access to loans and grants for college students.
Mayes and her fellow attorneys general are seeking judicial intervention to prevent these changes at ED. They argue that the administration’s efforts are both illegal and unconstitutional since the Department operates under congressional authorization through various laws establishing its programs and funding mechanisms.
Joining Attorney General Mayes in this legal challenge are attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York Oregon Rhode Island Washington Wisconsin Vermont along with the District of Columbia.