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Federal What Is 'Illegal DEI?' Trump Admin.'s School Probes Start to Paint a Picture
Department probes focused on rooting out DEI have mostly targeted colleges. But the Trump administration is also looking toward K-12.
Brooke Schultz, May 13, 2025
7 min read
Close-up of smart girl using small tools to assemble robot by learning from tablet computer, technology concept
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Teaching Teachers Don’t Identify Creativity Equally in All Students. Why That Matters
Teachers have subconscious biases in how they view student creativity. That could result in disadvantages—at school and beyond.
Elizabeth Heubeck, May 12, 2025
5 min read
Chiefs signs and logos are at Massapequa High School in Massapequa, N.Y., on April 25, 2025.
Chiefs signs and logos are at Massapequa High School in Massapequa, N.Y., on April 25, 2025.
Ted Shaffrey/AP
Federal Trump Wades Into DEI Fight Over Native American Mascots in Schools
Scholars and Native American activists have long pushed back on schools’ use of such images.
Brooke Schultz, April 28, 2025
6 min read
President Donald Trump signs an executive order regarding education in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Washington, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and Education Secretary Linda McMahon watch.
President Donald Trump signs an executive order regarding education in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Washington, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and Education Secretary Linda McMahon watch.
Alex Brandon/AP
Federal Trump to Schools: Banish 'Equity Ideology' in Discipline
Trump’s latest action continues to take aim at diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.
Brooke Schultz & Evie Blad, April 24, 2025
8 min read
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Collage by Gina Tomko/Education Week and Getty
States Tracker 'Illegal' DEI: See Which States Are Telling Trump Their Schools Don't Use It
The Education Department wants states and schools to sign a certification saying they don't use DEI. Here's how they're responding so far.
Matthew Stone & Mark Lieberman, April 10, 2025
6 min read
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon speaks at the ASU + GSV Summit at the Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego, Calif., on April 8, 2025.
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon speaks at the ASU+GSV Summit at the Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego on April 8, 2025. She defended recent cuts to the federal Education Department and said she hoped an expansion of school choice would be part of her legacy.
Ariana Drehsler for Education Week
Federal Defending Ed. Dept. Cuts, Linda McMahon Says It's Time to 'Do Something Different'
Linda McMahon told ed-tech entrepreneurs she wants to cut bureaucracy but keep key federal funds flowing to schools.
Brooke Schultz, April 8, 2025
8 min read
Vector illustration of a large hand holding a contract and a smaller man with a large pen signing the contract while a woman in the background is clutching a gold coin and watching as he signs.
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Federal Trump Admin. Tells Schools: No Federal Funds If You're Using DEI
A letter sent out Thursday is another Trump administration to curb diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools—and use funding as leverage.
Brooke Schultz, April 3, 2025
6 min read
President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order barring transgender female athletes from competing in women's or girls' sporting events, in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Washington.
President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on Feb. 5, 2025, before signing an executive order barring transgender females from competing in women's or girls' sports. Transgender athlete policies have been a common subject of investigations into schools, colleges, state education departments, and athletic associations by the U.S. Department of Education since Trump took office.
Alex Brandon/AP
Federal Tracker See Which Schools Trump's Education Department Is Investigating and Why
The agency has opened more than 90 investigations. Check out our map and table to review them.
Brooke Schultz & Matthew Stone, March 27, 2025
2 min read
Flag of the USA, painted on grunge distressed planks of wood, signifying dismantling or building back up
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Equity & Diversity Opinion ‘Diversity’ Isn’t a Dirty Word: Why Politicians Are Scapegoating DEI
The language may be new, but we’ve seen these same tactics used to attack racial equality for decades.
Janel George, March 20, 2025
5 min read
Master teachers Krysta McGrew and Justin Stewart work with their peers during a 5K cluster meeting at Ford Elementary School in Laurens, S.C., on March 10, 2025.
Master teachers Krysta McGrew and Justin Stewart work with their peers at Ford Elementary School in Laurens, S.C., on March 10, 2025. The Laurens district is among those who lost federal grant funding meant to provide performance-based financial incentives to teachers.
Bryant Kirk White for Education Week
Recruitment & Retention Districts Can't Pay Teachers Promised Incentives After Trump Admin. Cuts Funding
Grants meant for teacher and school leader development in high-need schools were abruptly cut by the Trump administration. Districts are looking for other options.
Olina Banerji, March 7, 2025
8 min read
Education Secretary Linda McMahon, left, greets Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., before President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon, left, greets Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., before President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. The National Education Association and ACLU are suing the U.S. Department of Education over its letter seeking to end race-based programming in schools.
Ben Curtis/AP
Law & Courts Nation's Largest Teachers' Union Sues Education Department Over DEI Threats
It's the second lawsuit to challenge the guidance that seeks to end diversity, equity, and inclusion in schools.
Brooke Schultz, March 5, 2025
4 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Student Achievement Opinion Schools Experienced a 'Lost Decade.' How They Can Recover
Recent NAEP results underscore concerns about student achievement. A charter school founder suggests what to do.
Rick Hess, March 4, 2025
9 min read
The U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C., is pictured on Feb. 21, 2021.
The U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C., is pictured on Feb. 21, 2021. The department's office for civil rights has instructed schools to end race-based programs, sparking confusion about what's allowed.
Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via AP
Federal Trump Admin. Says Race-Based Classes Don't Automatically Break the Law
Among other things, an FAQ document clarifies some rules around student clubs and the teaching of Black history—two areas of confusion.
Matthew Stone & Caitlynn Peetz, March 3, 2025
6 min read
budget school funding
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Federal Trump Admin. Warns Schools: End Race-Based Programs or Risk Losing Funds
A sweeping new letter from the Education Department says schools and universities should stop using race as a factor in programming.
Brooke Schultz, February 18, 2025
6 min read