Trump administration must restore grants for school counselors, judge rules
6 months ago
- #grants
- #education
- #mental-health
- Federal judge ruled the Trump administration must release millions in grants for school mental health workers.
- Grants were funded post-Uvalde shooting to hire counselors, psychologists, and social workers, focusing on rural areas.
- Trump administration opposed diversity considerations in awarding grants, cutting funding past December 2025.
- Ruling restores funding for some grantees in 16 Democratic-led states, e.g., $3.8M in Madera County, $8M in Marin County.
- Biden administration prioritized grants for increasing diverse counselors or those serving school districts directly.
- Trump administration argued grants conflicted with 'merit, fairness, and excellence in education'.
- Judge Evanson called the funding cuts arbitrary, citing harm like job losses in Maine's rural schools.
- Congress repeatedly reaffirmed the need for school mental health services through reauthorization and increased funding.
- Education Department failed to provide evidence or criteria for the 'best interest' decision.