Department of Education v. California
Headline: Court stays district court’s order blocking the Education Department from canceling over 100 grants, allowing the agency to reinstate grant terminations and affecting public schools, colleges, and teacher-training programs while appeals continue.
Holding:
- Allows the Education Department to reinstate termination of over 100 grants during appeals.
- May force schools and universities to lose funding or cut teacher-training programs immediately.
- Keeps the final legal decision to appeals and lower courts rather than this interim order.
Summary
Background
The Department of Education issued an internal directive in February 2025 directing staff to review issued grants for possible problems, including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. Shortly after, the Department sent largely identical letters terminating more than 100 grants awarded under the Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) and SEED programs. Several States sued in the District of Massachusetts under the Administrative Procedure Act, arguing the mass terminations were arbitrary and unlawful. The district judge issued a temporary restraining order on March 10 restoring the grants for recipients in the plaintiff States and enjoining further mass terminations, then extended that order while considering a preliminary-injunction motion.
Reasoning
The Government asked this Court to vacate the TRO and to stay it while appeals proceed. The Court treated the TRO as an appealable preliminary injunction and granted the stay. The per curiam opinion emphasized jurisdictional concerns under the APA and the Tucker Act, saying the Government was likely to show the district court lacked power to order payment of money under the APA. The Court also found the balance of harms and the risk of unrecoverable disbursements supported a stay pending the First Circuit appeal and any Supreme Court review.
Real world impact
The stay lets the Education Department proceed with its grant terminations while the courts resolve appeals, which may immediately affect public schools, universities, and teacher-training programs that relied on those funds. The ruling is not a final decision on the lawfulness of the terminations; lower courts and the appeals process will decide the merits.
Dissents or concurrances
Justices Kagan and Jackson dissented. They argued the Court should not have intervened on an almost-expiring TRO, emphasized harms already caused to grantees, and criticized the Government for not defending the terminations’ lawfulness in this emergency application.
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