A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to release millions of dollars in school mental health grants. These funds were previously halted after officials objected to diversity-related criteria used in their distribution, as reported by The Associated Press (AP).
This crucial funding, established following the tragic 2022 Uvalde school shooting, was specifically designed to assist schools in recruiting and retaining counselors, psychologists, and social workers, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Education, under President Donald Trump, had announced the termination of these grants by December 2025. The administration argued that the selection process conflicted with its commitment to “merit, fairness, and excellence in education.”
Court Calls Cuts ‘Arbitrary and Capricious’
In a preliminary ruling, Judge Kymberly K. Evanson of the U.S. District Court in Seattle characterized the administration’s decision as “arbitrary and capricious,” according to AP reports. This ruling directly impacts several grantees in sixteen Democratic-led states that had sued the Department of Education. These states contended that the funding cuts would inflict immediate and significant harm upon schools already struggling to provide adequate mental health support for students.
The court order temporarily reinstates the funding, allowing vital services to continue while the legal case proceeds. Notably, in California, this decision restores approximately $3.8 million to Madera County and $8 million to Marin County.
Judge Evanson emphasized that Congress had both established and repeatedly reauthorized this program to address the nationwide shortage of mental health professionals in schools. She pointed out that the Department failed to provide any data or coherent reasoning to demonstrate why these grants no longer served the “best interest” of federal policy.
States Argue Real Impact on Students
The states involved in the lawsuit powerfully highlighted the tangible, positive effects of this funding. In Maine, for example, these grants enabled nine rural school districts to hire ten new mental health professionals and retain four existing ones. Without this federal support, these critical positions would simply vanish.
Judge Evanson underscored that such losses would lead to “real harm,” particularly in regions where students already face severe limitations in accessing mental health care.
Shift in Federal Priorities
These grants were initially awarded during President Joe Biden’s administration, which encouraged applicants to present plans for increasing the number of counselors from diverse backgrounds or from the specific communities their schools served. Upon taking office, the Trump administration voiced objections to these provisions, asserting that they introduced unnecessary considerations of race and diversity into the process.
As of now, the Education Department has not yet publicly commented on the ruling, the AP noted.
A Broader Question of Educational Equity
This legal dispute brings into sharp focus the ongoing national debate concerning the role of diversity considerations in federal education funding. While some critics view such policies as ideological impositions, supporters argue that a diverse representation among mental health professionals is crucial for schools to effectively meet the varied needs of all their students.
For the time being, Judge Evanson’s order ensures that essential funding will continue to flow to schools that rely on it to maintain vital mental health services.